USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 73
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On October 2, 1881, Mr. Conrad was mar- ried to Miss Alice T. Barnes, a daughter of Benjamin and Laura A. (Yardley) Barnes, of South Bloomfield. The father of Mrs. Conrad is deceased. She is one of the following fam- ily ; Mary, who is the widow of Henry Kruse ; Susannah, who is the wife of Charles Ruth; Julia ; Alice E., who is the wife of Mr. Conrad ; Bertha; George; Pearl, who is the wife of Emma Rowles was reared on her father's farm and was well educated in the schools of George Dalby; and John. Mr. and Mrs. Con- rad have had the following children : Sarah A., Bremen. She was married September 23,
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1886, to Dr. O. P. Driver, who was born in Berne Township, Fairfield County, O., August 8, 1852. He attended the schools of his native township and later was a student at Pleasant- ville Academy and Delaware Academy and then entered the Ohio Medical College at Cin- cinnati, where he completed his medical course. Dr. Driver settled first at Basil, O., and prac- ticed there for nineteen years and from there came to Bremen in 1899 and continued in prac- tice here until the time of his death, April 26, 1910. His burial was in Grandview Cemetery at Bremen. Dr. Driver was a man who stood high both personally and professionally. He was a thirty-second degree Mason, was a mem- ber of the school board of Bremen and be- longed to both state and county medical or- ganizations. In his political attitude he pre- ferred to be independent. He was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His parents were old settlers in the county- James and Lydia (Graham) Driver-and the farm of 206 acres in Berne Township, which now belongs to Mrs. Dr. Driver, was the old Driver homestead. Mrs. Driver has tenants on the farm.
To Dr. and Mrs. Driver four children were born, namely : Mabel Florence, who died when aged eleven months ; James Russell and Leslie Rowles, twins, both now attending school at Delaware; and Harold Graham, who is a stu- dent in the Lancaster High School. Mrs. Driver attends the Presbyterian church.
ALLEN THOMAS, who has been a resi- dent of Stoutsville, O., for about one year, making this place his base of operations in stock buying, is well known all over both Fair- field and Hocking Counties. He was born in Hocking County, O., September 20, 1850, and is a son of John and Cynthia (Hedges) Thomas.
John Thomas was born in Hocking County and his wife in Fairfield County. Both are now deceased, his death taking place in Indiana and hers in Fairfield County. He was a farmer all through his active life and was well known and highly respected in Hocking County. In politics he was a Republican, and both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They had the following children: Allen and Mary J. (twins), the latter of whom died at the age of twenty-nine years; Easton; and a babe that died in infancy with the mother. John Thomas was married secondly to Rebecca Grundy and four children were born to that union-William, Frank, Zelda and Charles.
Allen Thomas attended the district schools during boyhood and then spent a year in Dela- ware University at Delaware, O. For the three following years he taught school in Hocking County and from there went to Union County, where he was a clerk in a gen- eral store for nine years. Mr. Thomas then embarked in business for himself and con- ducted a general store at Oakland for four years, after which he settled down to farming, owning 248 acres of land. This land was situ- ated in Madison Township and while living there Mr. Thomas served for nine years as a member of the school board and for two years was township assessor, elected on the Dem- ocratic ticket. He sold his farm in 1904 and then purchased 169 acres in Clear Creek Town- ship, Fairfield County, which he has since sold. Since then he has given his attention mainly to stock buying.
Mr. Thomas was married in 1875, to Miss Ellen Hedges, who was born in Union County, O., a daughter of Lewis and Catherine ( Pickle) Hedges. Her death occurred Feb. 2, 1912. Mrs. Thomas was one of the following children born to her parents: Elizabeth, who
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is deceased; Myria, who is the widow of Thomas Moses; Rachel, who is the wife of Hosely Finch; Silas; Abraham; Jane, who is the wife of Hallet Lindsley; Ellen, who is the wife of Mr. Thomas; and Wesley. The mother of the above family died and the father after- ward married Mary Durst and they had one daughter, Caroline, who was twice married, first to Edward Cramer, and secondly to Em- roy Osborne. The father of Mrs. Thomas was a well known farmer in Union County and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas have two children: Earl, who married Rosa Clendenin, and has four children-Leon, Fred, Opal and Mildred; and Olive, who married John Hut- chins, a farmer in Fairfield County, near Amanda. They have four children-Jessie, Clyde, Carl and Truman. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas are members of the Evangelicial church at Stoutsville.
JOHN W. MARTIN, one of Hocking Township's representative business men and leading citizens, who is vice president of the Martin Manufacturing Company, of Lancaster, O., was born in Greenfield Township, Hocking County, O., July 8, 1870, and is a son of Ben- jamin F. and Olivia (Crook) Martin.
Benjamin F. Martin and wife were both born in Hocking County. He served through three years of the great Civil War and on three different occasions was wounded so seriously in battle that he had to be sent to a hospital, where he spent eighteen long months, but survived to return to his home in Hocking County. From there, about 1876, he removed with his family to Hocking Township, Fairfield County, and resided on his farm there until 1902, when he retired to Lancaster, where he died in Septem- ber, 1905, his widow still being a resident of that city. To Benjamin F. Martin and wife
eight children were born, namely: Ellis D., John W. and Ulysses S. G., all of Hocking Township; Leethe, wife of John W. Smith, of Lancaster ; Lauren E. and Valerie M., both of Lancaster, the latter being a teacher in the pub- lic schools; Charles H., chief bookkeeper in the National Bank of Commerce, at Columbus ; and Chester B., of Lancaster. The father of the above family was a valued member of every community in which he lived, a man of up- rightness in all his dealings and a liberal sup- porter of the U. B. church, of which he was a member and a trustee.
John W. Martin was reared and attended school in Hocking Township, later became a student in the Fairfield Union Academy at Pleasantville, and for three years pursued his studies in the Ohio Normal University at Ada, O. For ten consecutive years afterward he taught school in Hocking and Amanda Town- ships and later became a farmer and stock raiser. He owns 135 acres of valuable land, which he devotes to these industries. Addi- tionally he is interested in the Martin Manu- facturing Company at Lancaster, a leading out- put of this concern being canvas gloves. The business is incorporated and the officers are : Chester B. Martin, president ; John W. Martin, vice president ; Lauren E. Martin treasurer and general manager, and Charles H. Martin, secretary.
On April 18, 1896, Mr. Martin was married to Miss Lizzie Smith, a daughter of the late John W. Smith, and they have two children, Verdie W. and Forest S. In politics, Mr. Martin is a Republican. He is a member of the East Union U. B. church, in which he is presi- dent of its board of trustees, a class leader and church chorister.
JOHN M. CALVERT, who carries on gen- eral farming in Clear Creek Township, where
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he owns eighty acres of excellent land, was born in Hocking County, O., in October, 1865. His parents were Jacob and Margaret (Grant) Calvert.
Jacob Calvert was born in Virginia and was a son of Richard Calvert. He married in his native state and afterward moved to Hocking County, O., where he engaged in farming and where both he and his wife died. They were highly respected people 'and were consistent members of the Baptist church. Their children were Henry, Elias, Eliza, Jacob, George, Car- oline, Emma, John M., Charles, Frank and Stephen.
John M. Calvert obtained a district school education and then started out for himself, as his services were not needed on the home farm. For eighteen years he worked on farms by the month and then bought his first land. He de- veloped business shrewdness as he acquired ex- perience, and for some years handled consider- able property, purchasing at different times five farms which he put in better condition and then sold them to advantage. In 1907 he came to Clear Creek Township and bought his present farm from Perry Rickets, and established here his permanent home. In addition to crop rais- ing he raises enough good stock for his own use. His surroundings indicate the watchful eye of a careful farmer.
Mr. Calvert was married first to Della Rife, now deceased. She was an adopted daughter of Joel and Mary Rife, her parents, George and Mary Kinser, having left her an orphan in in- fancy. One daughter, Mary, was born to that marriage, but she is deceased. Mr. Calvert's second marriage was to Miss Rose Newlon, a daughter of David and Sophia Newlon. They were natives of Morgan County but spent their last years in Hocking County. The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Calvert were: Henry; James B .; Emma, wife of John Anderson;
Eliza, wife of Elijah Brown; Olive, wife of Hiram Botts: Hannah, wife of Frank Valen- tine ; and Sarah. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Calvert, Harold, Effie, Castle and Jessie, the eldest born being now deceased. Mr. Calvert and family belong to the U. B. church. He is a Democrat in politics and served one term as township road superintend- ent and at present is a school director. He is identified with the Foresters and attends lodge at Circleville, O.
W. B. STUART, who has lived to see a flourishing town grow up on what he remem- bers as his father's old farm in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, O., now lives re- tired on his place of eighty-six acres, bordering the corporation line of Bremen, O. He was born in Rush Creek Township, November 25, 1836, and is a son of Charles and Christina (Beery) Stuart.
Charles Stuart was born in Pennsylvania and was twelve years old when he came to Fair- field County, where his subsequent life was passed. He became a man of large property and was engaged in farming for many years but prior to his death, at the age of eighty years, had retired to Bremen, which town stands on a portion of his old wheat fields. He married Christina Beery, a member of one of the old settled families of this section, and nine children were born to them.
WV. B. Stuart obtained his education in the township schools and then gave his attention to work on the home farm where he remained un- til 1871, when he came to his present place. Here he made numerous improvements and has a valuable property. In addition to productive farming lands he has eleven oil wells. In 1863 he visited Kansas and after he returned to Ohio, in 1864, enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Co. E, 159th O. Vol. Inf., and
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served 100 days, fortunately escaping the sad results of war which overtook some of his comrades.
Mr. Stuart married Miss Elizabeth Poling and they had the following children: Charles B., who has been twice married, the children of his first union being Mrs. Leefe Stallsmith, Mrs. Della Oliver, Margaret, Ward and Ger- aldine; Frank, who married Alice Disbennett, of Johnstown, O .; Judson, who is deceased ; and Emma, who resides at home. Mr. Stuart belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Republican in his political sentiments and has served in the office of township trustee.
SAMUEL SHUPE, whose excellent farm of fifty-two acres lies in Clear Creek Township, is one of the well known and highly respected residents of this section. He was born in Clear Creek Township, this county, July 9, 1854, and is a son of Daniel and Lydia (Deisinger) Shupe.
The Shupe family settled early with the Deisingers in Fairfield County and both fam- ilies have numerous representatives. Daniel Shupe was born in Clear Creek Township, where he followed farming all his life. He was a stanch Republican but never accepted any political office. With his wife he belonged to the Lutheran church. They had the following children : Hannah, deceased, who was the wife of David Stout : Rachel, deceased, who was the wife of Noah Frease : Rebecca, who is the wife of John Doring ; Mary, who is the wife of John Stout ; Elizabeth, who is the wife of Jacob Wolfe; and John, Jacob and Samuel.
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Samuel Shupe was the youngest born in the above family. He remained for a while on the home farm with his father and afterward en- gaged in agricultural operations for himself. In addition to crop raising he gives some atten- tion to stock and always has enough for his
own use. He was married in January, 1881, to Miss Elizabeth Kiefaber, a daughter of Ber- nard and Eliza Jane ( Brown) Kiefaber. The father of Mrs. Shupe was born in Germany and for a number of years was a merchant at Oak- land, O. He married Eliza Jane Brown, a na- tive of New York, and both are now deceased. They had sons and daughters, Mrs. Shupe be- ing the eldest of the family and others being as follows: Mary Hester ; Addic, widow of Mar- tin Dozer; A. B .; Sarah, wife of Milton Lutz; Ella, wife of George Lutz ; and Jemima. A. B. Kiefaber is an attorney at law in practice at Lancaster, O. Mr. and Mrs. Shupe have one daughter, Ethel. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church. In his political views Mr. Shupe is in accord with the Repub- lican party.
BANNER E. FRIEND, one of the pro- gressive farmers of Pleasant Township, resid- ing on his 133 acres of well cultivated land, be- longs to one of the old families of this country. He was born in Pleasant Township, June 30, 1867, and is a son of William and Sarah (Peters) Friend.
William Friend was born in Lawrence County, Pa., and was a son of Joseph Friend, who was born in Bedford County, Pa., and moved to Lawrence County. There he married and later moved to what is now the site of Mansfield, O., and from there came to Fairfield County. The Friends are of English extrac- tion and the earliest members of the family to settle in America came from Dorsetshire in 1670, locating in the neighborhood of Phila- clelphia. William Friend was fourteen years of age when his parents came to Fairfield County. His grandmother was a Rose, a sister to the man for whom Roseville, O., was named. She was of Scotch extraction and her ancestry can be traced back to the tenth century. Wil-
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liam Friend married Sarah Peters and their long lives were passed in Pleasant Township, where he died at the age of eighty-seven years, in 1899, while she survived until -1900. Of their children there are six survivors, as fol- lows: Elizabeth, who is the wife of Joseph Holliday, of Richland Township; Virginia, who is the wife of William Eyman, of Rich- land Township; Orrin, who lives in Pleasant Township; Adella, who is the wife of William Mast, of Walnut Township; Martha E., who is the wife of B. F. Elder, of Pleasant Town- ship; and Banner E. William Friend was a liberal supporter of the Baptist church, of Pleasant Run. He was a broad-minded man and was one of the founders of the Fairfield Union Academy at Pleasantville. He was also one of the early breeders of Merino sheep and shorthorn cattle.
Mr. Friend's grandfather and mother and his great grandmother, were charter members of the first Methodist church near Pleasantville, before there was any town.
Banner E. Friend attended the common schools of Pleasant Township and later Fair- field Union Academy and since then has been engaged in agricultural operations. He is a valued member of Pleasant Grange, No. 1615, Patrons of Husbandry, at Pleasantville.
Mr. Friend was married to Miss Melnotte Kagay, who was born in Rush Creek Town- ship, a daughter of the late Franklin Kagay, and they have five children-Karl F., Roger WV., Mildred, Franklin J. and Wendell K. In politics Mr. Friend is a Republican but is not a blind follower of his party's policies, reserving the right to vote independently when his judg- ment counsels him to do so. He is identified with Pleasant Valley Lodge No. 531, F. & A. M. at Pleasantville.
GEORGE W. FRASURE, a representative citizen of Clear Creek Township, for five years
serving as township trustee, owns valuable real estate at Oakland, O., and fifty-nine acres of well improved farm land. He was born August 2, 1853, in Pickaway County, O., a son of Jacob and Martha J. (Winstead) Frasure.
Jacob Frasure and wife were born in Pick- away County and spent their lives there and were well known. They were members of the Lutheran church. The former voted with the Democratic party but never served in any political office. They had the following chil- dren : Mary Ann, now deceased, who was the wife of Amos Valentine; Louisa, who is de- ceased, was the wife of Daniel Spangler; and William, George W., Jacob P. and Noah.
George W. Frasure learned the carpenter's trade after his school days were over and fol- lowed it for about four years. He then bought a farm in District No. 9, Clear Creek Town- ship, on which hel ived for two years. Selling that farm, he bought his present one, on which he has done a large amount of repairing and improving, among other substantial buildings erecting a comfortable residence. He carries on general farming, deals to some extent in stock and is recognized as a good business man. He has not identified himself with any par- ticular political party, prefering to remain in- dependent, nevertheless his fellow citizens have more than once chosen him for township of- fices-trustee, as mentioned above, supervisor, and member of the school board. -
On May 27, 1877, Mr. Frasure was married to Miss Calista Fosnaugh, a daughter of Eli and Sally (Baumgartner) Fosnaugh. Mr. Fosnaugh was well known as a blacksmith in Clear Creek Township for many years. Mrs. Frasure had brothers and sisters as follows: Henry; Lucinda, wife of Joseph Spangler; Elzina, deceased, formerly the wife of Henry Garrett; and. Pathena. To Mr. and Mrs. Frasure the following children have been born : Nelson, who married Minnie Valentine and has
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one son, Carl; Maggie May, who is the wife of Kirby Neff, and has one daughter, Marie; Minnie Bell, who is the wife of Earl Dorn, and has two children-Esther and Dorothy May; Berthia, who is the wife of Chester De Long ; and Clarence and Leona, both residing at home. Mr. Frasure and family are members of the U. B. church.
JOHN BATTELLE SWAN, V. S., who is known professionally in several states, has been a resident of Walnut Township, Fairfield County, O., since August, 1903, and owns a valuable farm of 100 acres. He was born near Wheeling, in Marshall County, now West Virginia, November 3, 1850, and is a son of Hon. Remembrance and Mary (Long) Swan.
The Swan family has long been known along the south branch of the Potomac River. The mother of Remembrance Swan was a Van Meter. He became an extensive farmer and stockman and bred horses largely. He had two sisters and three brothers, all now deceased. One sister, Martha, married George Rice and they lived in Licking County. Another, Phebe, married a Garrison and they lived in Pennsyl- vania. A brother, Henry, went overland to California in 1849 and died in Iowa. Remen- brance Swan purchased a well known property, the Colonel Plesher farm, near Parkersburg, W. Va., and there his death occurred in 1878, when he was aged sixty-eight years. He was prominent in politics and was a member of the state Legislature in 1863 when West Virginia became a separate commonwealth. He married Mary Long, who was born in Pennsylvania and died in West Virginia, in 1899, aged seventy- four years. They had two children: John Battelle and Loretta, the latter of whom is the wife of J. C. Roberts and lives in South Dakota.
John Battelle Swan obtained his early educa-
tion in the district schools. From boyhood he was accustomed to the raising of the young stock on his father's farm and very early learned their various ailments and took an in- terest in curing them. Indeed, from the age of sixteen years he has practiced to some degree his present profession, later taking a regular course in veterinary science, spending three years with many different veterinarians in West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky and learning surgery with many well known practitioners in West Virginia and Ohio. He began to prac- tice at Pleasant View, W. Va., and for many years was kept busy up and down the Ohio River. Later he became interested also in dealing in stock and devotes a part of his farm to stock purposes. This farm he purchased from Mrs. Lemuel Dyer and it is well im- proved. The commodious brick residence was built at a cost of $14,500, by Byron Pugh. The farm is well watered, the Ohio Canal passing through one part of it.
Dr. Swan was married June 29, 1887, to Miss Jennie M. Mckay, a daughter of the ven- erable John McKay, who resides at Great Bend, O., and is now in his ninety-second year. Politically Dr. Swan is a Republican. In 1866 he became a Mason, at Ravenswood, WV. Va., and belongs to Blue Lodge No. 537, at Millers- port, O.
JOHN OBERDORFER, who conducts a weaving business in Clear Creek Township, where he owns two farms, aggregating forty acres, is well known in this section, having lived here since 1889. He was born April 27. 1854, at Chillicothe, O., and is a son of John and Barbara (Meyers) Oberdorfer, natives of Germany. The parents of Mr. Oberdorfer re- mained in their native land until after the birth of several children and then came to America. By trade the father was a weaver. They were
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members of the Lutheran church. Of their eight children, John was the second born, the others being: Gottleib; William; Catherine, wife of Wilson Conrad; Christiana, wife of E. O. Kearns; Elizabeth, wife of Edward Charles ; and Jacob and Caroline.
John Oberdorfer obtained his education in the district schools and under his father's in- struction learned the weaving trade. After the father established a woolen mill two miles east of Amanda, in Fairfield County, he worked in the mill during the summer seasons and at weaving in the old home in the winter time un- til 1889, when he bought his land in Clear Creek Township and since then has followed both farming and weaving. On November 18, 1880, he was married to Miss Sarah L. Matz, a daughter of Curtis and Priscilla (Valentine) Matz, who then were residents of Oakland, O. Mr. Matz is deceased but Mrs. Matz lives at Stoutsville. They had the following children : Samuel; Noah; Wilson; Mary, widow of Joseph Shupe ; Daniel ; Sarah L. ; Jennie ; Eme- line, widow of Charles Smith ; Harriet, wife of Joseph Keeny; Ida, wife of Nicholas Stout ; and Cora, wife of Stephen Smeltzer. Mr. and Mrs. Oberdorfer have had three children, two sons and one daughter: Arvid Edward, who died at the age of twenty-five years; Ernest Arthur, who died young; and Effie Marie, who remains with her parents. Another member of the family is Mr. Oberdorfer's nephew, Eldin Nicholas Stout. Mr. Oberdorfer and family attend the Lutheran church. Politically he is a Democrat and is serving as a member of the township school board.
'PROF. ALLEN D. GROVES, superintend- ent of the public schools of Pleasant Town- ship, Fairfield County, O., and also a member of the Board of County School Examiners for
Fairfield County, is a well known educator, whose years of professional experience have well qualified him for the public positions to which he has been called. He was born in Walnut Township, Fairfield County, February . 17, 1860, and is a son of Andrew and Cathe- rine (Gaines) Groves.
Andrew Groves was born in Perry County, O., his father being of German extraction but of Pennsylvanian birth. He lost both his parents when quite young and was reared among strangers. When he reached manhood he left Perry County and came to Fairfield County. For a few years after his marriage he lived in Walnut Township and then moved into Pleasant Township. The closing years of his life were passed on the farm of twenty- four acres, which is owned in Pleasant Town- ship by Prof. Groves. His death occurred in 1883. He was a Democrat in politics and a faithful member of the United Brethren church. He was twice married. His first wife was Mary Alspaugh and to this union were born thirteen children. His second marriage was to Catherine Gaines, who was born in Rockingham County, Va., and who was of English-Welsh ancestry. To this union were born three children, namely. Allen D., Eliza- beth and Charles W.
Allen D. Groves was nine years old when he removed with the family from Walnut to Pelasant township. He attended the schools of Baltimore, O., and the Pleasant Township schools and later completed the scientific course at the Fairfield Union Academy at Pleasantville, in 1882. He has taught school almost continuously ever since. He was for- merly superintendent for two years of the publis schools of Carroll, O., and has always kept abreast of the times in educational work and methods, his aim ever having been to raise
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