USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 75
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
H. W. YOUNG, an honored veteran of the great Civil War and for many years a farmer, seed and fruit grower, resides on his excellent farm of forty acres which lies two miles north east of Bremen, O. He was born in Fairfield County, O., just one and one-half miles east of Bremen, March 4, 1844, and is a son of Thomas M. and Catherine (Moyer) Young.
Thomas M. Young was born also in Fair- field County and spent his life in his native neighborhood, following the trades of car- penter and cabinetmaker. His death occurred at the age of fifty-nine years. He married Catherine Moyer and five children were born to them: Jacob, who follows the carpenter's trade at Warren, Ind .; H. W .; John M., who follows the plastering trade and lives at But- ler, Ind .; William, a blacksmith, who remains
on the old home place; and a babe that lived but a few days.
H. W. Young attended the district schools and assisted his father until the Civil War broke out, when, in 1861, in answer to Presi- dent Lincoln's first call, he enlisted in Co. B., 17th O. Vol. Inf., and continued in the army until the close of hostilities, during the greater part of this time being under General Thomas. He participated in many of the great battles of that war, including Perryville, Corinth, Stone River and Chickamauga. There he re- ceived a dangerous wound and afterward was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps and was made a department clerk, first in the of- fice of the Fourth Auditor and afterward in the prison camps at Elmira, N. Y. After he was released from military service, and with a most honorable record, he returned to Fair- field County and since then has followed peace- ful pursuits. He has one oil well on his prop- erty. He takes much interest in the G. A. R. and belongs to the post at Bremen. He comes naturally by his military courage, his great- grandfather, who was born in 1753, in Ireland, having served eight years in the War of the Revolution ; his grandfather having served un- der General Sanderson in the War of 1812, while his father was a veteran of the Mexican War.
Mr. Young married Miss Matilda King, and nine children were born to then, as follows: Ervan, who is a minister in the Reformed church, at Wooster, O., married Anna Shock of Tiffin, and they have three children ; Charles S., who is a farmer in Rush Creek township, married Margaret C. Guyton and they have three children; Arthur O., who lives at Balti- more, O., married Lillie Kagay and they have two children: Blanche, who is the wife of Charles Brant; Walter, who lives in Rush Creek township north of his father, married
673
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Hattie Grove and they have one child; and Corda E., Lizzie M., Lillie M. and Maggie, all of whom are deceased. Politically Mr. Young is a Republican and twice he has been ap- pointed to take the census in his township. He is a member of the Reformed church and fraternally has long been identified with the Odd Fellows.
MILTON F. TAYLOR, whose valuable farm of 240 acres is situated in Section 15, Walnut Township, Fairfield County, O., was born on this farm, September 23, 1848, in the old log house which his grandfather erected when he settled here in 1829. He is a son of Jesse, Jr., and Ann (Kraner) Taylor.
Jesse Taylor, Jr., was born September 9, 1806, in Frederick County, Va., and accom- panied his parents to Ohio, where his mother soon afterward died. The grandfather, Jesse Taylor, Sr., located at Lancaster, O., in 1827 and two years later came to Walnut Township and secured the land which has never since been out of the Taylor name. At first the Taylors bought a lease of the property and later entered it under the administration of Governor Medill, the old sheep-skin deed showing that the father of Milton F. Taylor was the one with whom the business was trans- acted. Jesse Taylor, Sr., later bought a little farm but subsequently retired to New Salem and died there when aged ninety-four years. He was the father of seven children : James, John, Robert, Jesse, Harriet, Juliet, and Betsy Ann, all of whom are now deceased. Harriet was the wife of James Cherry and Betsy Ann married Daniel Hommack, and Juliet married Peter Sperry.
After coming to Ohio, Jesse Taylor, Jr., father of Milton F., engaged for some time in hauling stone for the building of the locks on
the canal, making trips from Lancaster to Zanesville, both of these busy cities of the present day then being little more than vil- lages. He was married in Fairfield County to Jane Rank, and secondly to Ann Kraner, the latter of whom was born in Virginia, a daughter of Thomas Kraner, an early settler in Fairfield County. She died in 1899, aged 80 years, leaving but one child, Milton Fil- more. To the first marriage four children were born : Sarah, who is the widow of I. W. Holt; William, a veteran of the Civil War, who died in 1895; David, who enlisted at New Salem, O., served in the Civil War as a mem- ber of the 126th Regiment and was killed at the battle of Pittsburg Landing; and Adeline, who was the wife of Solomon Watson, both now deceased. Jesse Taylor died in 1878. He was a highly respected man and had been a successful farmer.
Milton Filmore Taylor has spent his long and busy life in farming and stock raising. He attended the country schools in boyhood and later was a student for three terms in the Fairfield Union Academy. In 1887 Mr. Taylor bought 85 acres adjoining the old home place on the cast, and the family took up their residence here in April, 1887. The residence has been remodeled and made more comfort- able and attractive. On November 9. 1878, Mr. Taylor was married to Miss Ella Mc- Naghten, a daughter of David Y. McNaghten, and they have three children : Adria L., who is the wife of Bryant Hawke, cashier of a bank at Hebron, O., and has one son, Lester Eu- gene; James D., a resident of Philadelphia, who married Zella Goss; and Bessie D. Mr. Taylor and daughter are members of the Primitive Baptist Church at Thurston, O. He is a Republican in politics and has served two terms as township trustee. The family is one of the best known in Walnut Township.
674
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
FREDERICK MONDHANK, a well known farmer and stockraiser in Greenfield Township, resides on a farm of ninety acres, owns an additional 120 acres in the same town- ship and manages a fine farm of 115 acres, also in Greenfield Township, which belongs to his wife. He was born December 10, 1849, at Portsmouth, O., and is a son of William and Nettie Mondhank.
The parents of Mr. Mondhank were born in Germany and from there emigrated to the United States in 1846. For several years after reaching Ohio, they lived at Portsmouth, whence they came to Fairfield County, settling in Berne Township. Many years later they removed to Pleasant Township and from there to Lancaster, O., where the mother still lives. The father died in February, 1908. Ten chil- dren were born to William and Nettie Mond- hank, namely: William D., of Lancaster, O .; Frederick, of Greenfield Township; Mary, wife of Albert Alspach, of Liberty Township; Car- oline, of Lancaster, O .; Molinda, wife of Wesley Ackers, of Lancaster; Agnes, wife of Edward Miesse, of Celina, O .; Catherine, wife of Edward Baugher, of Greenfield Township; Albert, residing in Pleasant Township; Net- tie, wife of Hiram Baugher, of Mercer County, O .; and Sophia, wife of Albert Bach- man, of Canal Winchester, O.
Frederick Mondhank was mainly reared in Berne Township and there obtained his school- ing and afterward engaged in farming and stock-raising. On November 24, 1874, he was married to Miss Sarah Kratzer, who was born in Madison Township, Fairfield County, O., and is a daughter of Jacob and Margaret Krat- zer. Jacob Kratzer was born in Wertemberg, Germany and his wife was born in the same neighborhood. He was about twenty years of age wlien he came to America and his first work was on the old Ohio Canal which was then
in process of construction, and during this time he lived at Lancaster. Later he settled in Madison Township and lived there for over a half century becoming one of the well known and highly respected farmers of that locality, his death occurring when he was eighty-one years of age. His widow survived him by a few years. Of their eight children the fol- lowing survive: Catherine, who is the widow of George Neubauer, late of Berne Township, she being now a resident of Pleasant Town- ship; Louise E., who is the widow of William Wolfinger, of Marion County, O .; Barbara and Susan, both of whom live at Lancaster; Sarah, who is Mrs. Mondhank; and Toratta, who is the wife of Henry Meister, of Amanda Township.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mondhank, namely : Walter J., who lives at Butler, Ind .; Charles F., who lives at Lan- caster; Ethel M., who resides at home; and Nettie, who is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Mond- hank are members of St. Peter's Lutheran Church at Lancaster, of which he is a trustee. In politics, Mr. Mondhank is nominally a Democrat but he frequently exercises his own good judgment when he casts his vote.
H. S. SMITH, a well known citizen of Fairfield County, who, for over a quarter of a century has been successfully engaged in farming and stock raising in Bloom Township, Fairfield County, O., for many years was an equally successful school teacher and served also as justice of the peace for two terms. He was born in Bloom Township, one mile west of his present farm of 160 acres, near Lithopolis, January 22, 1840, and is a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Runkle) Smith.
Henry Smith was born in Pickaway County, O., August 30, 1817, and died November 10, 1872, aged fifty-five years. The greater part
675
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
of his life was passed in Fairfield County but the last five years were spent on the farm on which his son, H. S. now resides. He mar- ried Elizabeth Runkle, who was born in Fair- field County, January 28, 1821, and died July 10, 1901. Her father, John Runkle, was one of the earliest settlers in this section and was a farmer and blacksmith. To Henry Smith and wife the following children were born: H. S., subject of this sketch; Andrew Jack- son, born September 28, 1841; Sarah Eliza- beth, July 17, 1843; Jacob Jerome, March 25, 1845; John Calvin, February 21, 1847; Joseph Nelson, April 26, 1849, died September 6, 1850; Samuel Caleb, born March 2, 1851; Anna Mary, October 10, 1854; Elenora Belle, born November 20, 1857, died January 8, 1859; and Ivy Alberta, born March 22, 1859.
H. S. Smith attended the country schools and spent two years in school at Lithopolis and afterward had educational advantages at Findlay and also at Columbus. For some twenty years he devoted himself closely to school teaching and thus became well and fav- orably known at Lithopolis and Royalton and also through the eastern part of Pickaway county and while residing at Royalton, served two terms as a justice of the peace. In 1883 he retired from the educational field and since then has been interested in farming.
Mr. Smith was married first, August 25, 1868, to Miss Mary Ann Homrighous, who was born June 27, 1840, and died March 19, 1895. She was a daughter of John and Mag- dalen Homrighous, of Royalton. Mr. Smith was married secondly, January 6, 1898, to Miss Mary Ann Heim, a daughter of Daniel and Susan (Spade) Heim. The father of Mrs. Smith was born in Pennsylvania and was brought to Pickaway County, O., when nine years of age, and he became a farmer and saw- mill man. His birth took place April 21, 1832,
and his death February 2, 1905. He married Susan Spade and they had three children: Mary Ann (Mrs. Smith) ; Emanuel, residing at Amanda; and Mrs. Iva Cole. Mr. and Mrs. Smith are members of the Lutheran church. Politically Mr. Smith has always been identified with the Democratic party.
P. S. BONE, M. D., physician and surgeon, who has been located at Royalton, Fairfield County, O., for four and one-half years, dur- ing which time he has built up a satisfactory practice, was born in Vinton County, O., and is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Jordan) Bone. The father of Dr. Bone was a farmer in Jack- son Township and he and wife died when their son was small.
P. S. Bone was reared in Jackson Town- ship, Vinton County, where he attended school, and later spent two years in the Ohio University. He then turned his attention to the study of medicine and received his degree in 1903 from the Ohio Medical University at Columbus. He is a member of the Fairfield County and Ohio State Medical Associations, as well as the American Medical Association and keeps fully abreast with the times in med- ical science.
Dr. Bone was married to Miss Emma Puf- finbarger, who was born in Pickaway County, a daughter of John Puffinbarger, a representa- tive of an old settled family there. In politics Dr. Bone maintains an independent attitude. He is identified with the Masonic lodge at Lithopolis, O. Edna Puffinbarger was adopted in 1900 by P. S. Bone and wife and her name changed to Edna Bone.
245
M. M. MIESSE, proprietor of the White Post Farm, which is situated one mile north of Lancaster, O., on the Baltimore & Lancas- ter Pike within a period of less than twenty
676
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
years has developed a business from very small beginnings into one of the largest in this sec- tion of Ohio. He was born in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County, O., August 20, 1853, and is a son of Solomon and Mary (Keller) Miesse.
The parents of Mr. Miesse were both born in Fairfield County, where the grandparents had been early settlers, coming from Pennsyl- vania on foot and horseback and both living to advanced age. Solomon Miesse was a lead- ing man of his township and served as a school director and as township trustee for many years.
M. M. Miesse obtained a district school education and since then has devoted himself to agricultural pursuits. He settled on his present farm in 1892 and when he started his first greenhouse it was in the nature of an ex- periment. Having a natural bent in the direc- tion of truck gardening and possessing excel- lent judgment and untiring industry, Mr. Miesse has succeeded in building up a large and important business, the White Post Farm being known all over this part of Ohio. For some years before establishing himself on his present farm he lived three miles northeast, where he had a hot bed ninety feet in length, which was heated by a furnace. He found this profitable and then built a greenhouse 20 x 52 feet in dimensions and started into a still larger business, raising early vegetables for market and gradually expanding until he found it necessary to get larger accommoda- tions. He has eleven greenhouses on White Post Farm, and nine of these are 15 x 202 feet and are heated by hot water, the Skinner irri- gating system being in use, and all are fitted with modern appliances and improvements. Mr. Miesse is a grower and shipper of fine lettuce, melons and tomatoes and is a breeder also of R. C. Rhode Island Red chickens. He
is the originator of the Banner potato, the Cannon Ball watermelon, the Evergreen cu- cumber and the Royal Red, Aristocrat, Maule's Enormous, and Maule's Success Mag- nificent tomatoes. He has a ready market at Lancaster, O. but also ships to Columbus and to many points in the Hocking Valley. His business has been developed by himself and has required long years of the closest care and attention and much study of varieties and their habits and the result has been the intro- duction of some of the finest and most suc- culent vegetables ever put on the market.
On October 5, 1876, Mr. Miesse was mar- ried to Miss Mary A. Feeman, a daughter of John L. Feeman, an old resident of Pleasant Township, and they have had three children: Harley T., who lives in Greenfield Township; Daisy A. and Robert R., both of whom are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Miesse are mem- bers of the Evangelical Association. In polit- ics he is a Republican but takes no very active part, his large business absorbing the most of his time. White Post Farm is an interesting place to visit at any time of the year but par- ticularly so during the summer season, when all the industries are in active operation.
DAVID E. CUNNINGHAM, whose excel- lent farm of ninety-nine and one-half acres is situated in Clear Creek Township, was born on this farm November 15, 1859, and has always resided here. He is a son of David and Chris- tina (Boreaugh) Cunningham. The parents of Mr. Cunningham were both born in Berks County, Pa., and both died and were buried on this farm.
David E. Cunningham was his parents' only child and he remained with them and gave them filial care as long as they lived. Mr. Cunning- ham's interests have always been along agri- cultural lines and he has been a busy man but
DAVID E. CUNNINGHAM
MRS. CHRISTINA O. CUNNINGHAM
679
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
not too busy to also take an interest in public affairs in his township and perform his duties as a citizen. For seven years he has served as a member of the school board and perhaps no township in the county has better regulated schools than this. He was elected a trustee of the township, on the Democratic ticket, and was reelected and served in that capacity for six years.
Mr. Cunningham was married in 1878, to Miss Christina Ochs, who died March 1, 1909, and her burial was in the Amanda Township Cemetery. Mr. Cunningham has one son, Frank E., who is attending Crawfis College, in Fairfield County, where he is a very satis- factory student. Mr. Cunningham belongs to the Knights of Pythias, Uniform Rank, at Lan- caster, O., and to the Modern Woodmen, and is also a member of the American Insurance Union. He attends the Lutheran church.
J. A. LAVER, who conducts the only com- bined grocery store and meat market at Basil, O., is one of the leading citizens in the town's affairs. He was born in 1850, in Fairfield County, and is a son of John and Anna (Roley) Laver.
John Laver was born in Pennsylvania but spent the larger part of his life in Fairfield County, O., where he was well and favorably known and lived to the age of eighty-two years. He was a carpenter and general mechanic. He married Anna Roley, who was born also in Pennsylvania and died in Fairfield County, in her eighty-sixth year. They had four chil- dren : William, who lives at Basil; Sarah, de- ceased, who was the wife of Thomas Smurr; Angeline, who married B. F. Harner; and J. A. Laver.
J. A. Laver obtained his education in the Basil schools and afterward learned the trade of carriage trimming, which he followed for
ten years at Basil and other points. He then became connected with a basil business house with which he remained for twenty-seven years. In April, 1909, he embarked in busi- ness for himself, in the grocery and meat line and has a large and well equipped place of business. He is a public spirited citizen, a member of the school board, a ready contribu- tor to local charities, and gives political sup- port to the Republican party.
Mr. Laver married Miss Sarah Sriner, who was born in Fairfield County, and they have two children, namely : Guy, a motorman on the street railway at Delaware, O., who married Edna Knight, and has four children: Carroll, Louise, and Donald and Doris, twins; and Goldie, now Mrs. Cheney, who has one son- Roslyn Vance. Mr. Laver and family are members of Trinity Reformed Church. He is identified with the Knights of Pythias.
JOSHUA CRUMLEY, one of Hocking Township's well known citizens, a member of one of the old settled families of Fairfield County, O., was born in Bloom Township, Oc- tober 13, 1837, and is a son of Conrad and Magdalena M. (Feller) Crumley, who were natives of Pennsylvania and early settlers in Fairfield County.
Joshua Crumley obtained his education in the district schools but had few advantages as compared to those afforded the young people of the present day. Farming and stock rais- ing have mainly engaged his attention and he owns a valuable farm of about eighty acres, on which he has lived for many years.
Mr. Crumley married Miss Susanah Coff- man, a daughter of John Coffman, of Hocking Township, and they have had eight children : Emerson U., who lives at Columbus; William S., Wallace M., Oril D. and Harry E., all of whom live in Hocking Township; Mellie E.,
680
HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
who is the wife of Wallace Strode, of Lancas- ter, O .; Zernah A., who is the wife of C. F. Van Dyke, of Lancaster; and John C., who is deceased. The mother of the above family is deceased. Mr. Crumley is a member of Trin- ity Evangelical Lutheran Church situated four miles west of Lancaster.
ISAAC G. HOY, whose valuable stock and general grain farin of 159 acres is situated in Bloom Township, Fairfield County, O., two and one-half miles south of Lithopolis, O., was born in this township in 1864, and is a son of Abraham and Maranda (Custer) Hoy.
The Hoy family is one of the old and sub- stantial ones of Bloom township, the first of its members coming from Pennsylvania and in the house that the great-grandfather built, several generations were born. Abraham Hoy was a farmer all his life and was a well known and highly respected man. His death occurred in his seventy-second year. He married Ma- randa Custer, who was born in Hocking County, O., and they had three children, namely: Isaac G .; Emma, who is deceased; and Joshua, who is also deceased.
Isaac G. Hoy has been a farmer, as was his father and grandfather, and has spent his life on his present well improved property. He married Alice Rainey, a daughter of William G. Rainey, the latter of whom came to Fair- field from Guernsey County, when a young man. He married Caroline Alspach and they had four children : John, Addie, Alice and Wil- liam, the eldest being deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Hoy have had three children: Harold, Marie and Hubert. Both sons are yet at home giving their father assistance, but the daughter is deceased. Politically Mr. Hoy is identified with the Democratic party and is now serving in the office of township trustee. He belongs
to the Knights of Pythias and attends lodge at Canal Winchester. With his family he is a member of the Evangelical church, in which he is a steward and a member of the board of trustees.
CHARLES S. BRANDT, building con- tractor, at Bremen, O., was born on his father's farm in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, two miles southwest of Bremen, July 30, 1876, and is a son of C. C. and Ellen ( Westenbarger) Brandt. He is one of a fam- ily of thirteen children, ten of whom are living and eight of these are residents of Fairfield Coutny.
Charles S. Brandt obtained his education in the district schools in Rush Creek Township, after which he learned the carpenter's trade, with D. S. Hufford and C. W. Ricket. Mr. Brandt then went into contracting for himself. He buys his supplies by wholesale and con- structs buildings from foundation to roof. During the first year that he was in business he did one-fourth of the entire volume of building that was done at Bremen, including the erection of the Primary School Building, and during the second year did fully one-half of all the town building. He is an energetic and progressive man in whatever he under- takes.
Mr. Brandt was married March 23, 1905, to Miss Essie Blanche Young, who was born in Rush Creek Township. one of nine children born to H. W. and Matilda Young, of whom three reside in Fairfield County. Mr. and Mrs. Brandt are members of the U. B. church, in which he is a steward and trustee. He is not a politician but takes an interest in public mat- ters and votes the Democratic ticket. He erected his comfortable residence on Marietta Street, Bremen.
681
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
CHARLES M. SMITH, who is a member of the board of trustees of Hocking Township, carries on general farming on his excellent farm of seventy-two acres and is one of the representative citizens of his section. He was born January 17, 1859, in Hocking Township, Fairfield County, O., and is a son of Barthol- omew and Mary E. (Eversole) Smithi.
The parents of Mr. Smith were also mainly reared in Fairfield County, although the father was born in Frederick County, Virginia, a son of Michael Smith, who was born in what is now West Virginia. He was an early settler in Fairfield County, coming with his family from West Virginia when his son Barthol- omew was about eighteen years of age. They resided at Lancaster for a short time and then settled permanently in Hocking Township, where Bartholomew subsequently married and lived until his death, September 11, 1891. The following members of his family still survive : William H., of Wells County, Ind .; Jacob J., of Ashtabula County, O .; George W., of Pleas- ant Township; Theodore F., of Hocking Township; Benjamin E., of Lancaster; Vir- ginia E., wife of John D. Shaw, of North Berne, O .; and Charles M. Four children are deceased : John T., Margaret A., Mahala J. and Isaac N. Bartholomew Smith was a lifelong Democrat and he and wife were members of the U. B. church.
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.