USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 81
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HON. ELIJAH F. HOLLAND
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close of the war, and when Nashville was at- tacked by the enemy he was given charge of a company on the fortifications and did yeoman service in defense. For the third time he was honorably discharged, in April, 1865, when he returned to Pleasant Township, where he has lived ever since. During nine years of this time he was a resident of Pleasantville and
Judge Holland obtained his early educa- was postmaster there. In politics he is a Re- tion in the district schools, making such good publican, and in 1900 he was census enum- erator of Pleasant Township. He has followed blacksmithing as a business.
Mr. Dilger was married October 19, 1865, to Miss Anna M. Cuqua, who was born in Lancaster County. Pa., a daughter of William and Annie (Dennis) Cuqua. The father of Mrs. Dilger was born in Germany and was a soldier in the Mexican War, as was also a brother of Mr. Dilger. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dilger, namely: William S., of Pleasant Township; Ernest C., principal of the High School at Carroll, O .; Letha E. and Thomas H., both of Pleasant Township; Asa C., an expert acountant in the Ohio State Insurance Department at Columbus ; Owen M., of Clarksburg, W. Va .; and Lena M., Ionia B. and James A., all three being now deceased. The last named died February 15, 1898, while in camp at Anniston, Ala., from an attack of typhoid fever. Mr. Dilger and family are members of the Reformed church at Colfax, and he has been an elder for forty years. Since 1866 he has been a member of the Ma- sonic fraternity and still takes a very active interest in it.
HON. ELIJAH F. HOLLAND, probate judge of Fairfield county, Ohio, now serving in his second official term, has been a member of the Ohio bar for almost forty years. He was born at Baltimore, Ohio, November 22, nally with the Masonic order.
1845, being one of the nine children of John N. and Lydia (Benadum) Holland. The father was a carpenter who followed his trade at a time when conditions were harder than at present, but who through his industry suc- ceeded in providing well for his family. His death occurred in January, 1905.
use of his opportunities that later, after his re- turn from his service in the Civil war, he proved an acceptable and successful teacher at Baltimore and in other schools in this county. In February, 1864, he enlisted at Millersport, Ohio, in Company K, Seventeenth Regiment, O. V. I., and remained in the service until he was honorably discharged at the close of the war, July 16, 1865. While engaged in teaclı- ing he began the study of law, which he con- tinued under the preceptorship of Judge Bra- see, and was admitted to the bar of Fairfield county in 1872, and was an active member of the same until his election as probate judge. For seventeen years he served as justice of the peace in his native township of Liberty.
In 1900 he came to Lancaster and in 1905 was elected to the bench, as a Democrat, first by a plurality of 1.265 votes over his opponent, and was re-elected in 1908 by a majority of 2,024 votes. Judge Holland has proved able, wise and dignified as judge of the Probate Court.
Judge Holland married Miss Mary A. Jones, a daughter of James Jones, and they have one child, Cora, who is the wife of Van A. Snyder, a prominent attorney at Lancaster, Ohio. Judge Holland and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. They occupy a handsome residence, situated on Fifth avenue, Lancaster. Judge Holland is identified frater-
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
MILTON D. WILDERMUTH, a repre; sentative business citizen of Pleasantville and senior member of the firm of Wildermuth & Keller, has been a resident of Fairfield County for the past twenty years. He was born in Franklin County, O., near Columbus, June 16, 1860, and is a son of William and Ruth (All- gire) Wildermuth.
The Wildermuths probably came from Ger- many to Pennsylvania and from that state, Daniel Wildermuth, grandfather of Milton D., came to Ohio among the pioneers, locating in the wilderness of Greenfield Township, Fair- field County, in 1804. His first house was constructed of logs, but before his death, when aged eighty-two years, he was residing in one of the finest residences in the township. His widow survived him and her death occurred in her eighty-first year, at the home of her eld- est son, William Wildermutlı. The latter was born in 1808, in the log house above men- tioned, and grew to manhood a strong and vigorous youth, and his strength was main- tained into old age. When twenty-one years old he moved to Franklin County, O., where he acquired a large farm yet uncleared, which he developed. He was married twice, first to a Miss Feeman, who died after the birth of four children. Two of these died in infancy and the two surviving are John and Catherine, the latter being the widow of Isaac Fry. The second marriage was with Ruth Allgire, who died in 1902, having survived her husband since 1884. She was the mother of nineteen children, thirteen of whom grew to maturity. There were triplets at one birth and on two occasions twins were born. The family is represented in different parts of Ohio and all are substantial and worthy people.
Milton D. Wildermuth spent his boyhood on the home farm. He attended the local schools and later Capitol University and the college at Ada, O. After his marriage he purchased
a farm in Franklin County, on the Big Walnut Creek, which he sold two years later and then came to Pleasantville, where he entered into the hardware business with his father-in-law, Jesse Brooke. Seven years later J. A. Keller bought Mr. Brooke's interest and since then the firm style has been Wildermuth & Keller. They do a large business at Pleasantville and deal in hardware, groceries, agricultural im- plements, fence wire and lime and cement. Additionally Mr. Wildermuth and partner are interested in oil and gas production at Bremen and Straightsville. He is president of three oil companies and was one of the organizers of the Crystal Glass Company at Pleasantville.
Mr. Wildermuth was married first to Miss Fannie C. Brooke, who died March 13, 1903. leaving five children-Ray, Ethel, Ross, Wil- liam and Ruth. In October, 1907, Mr. Wild- ermuth was married to Mayme McLaughlin and to the second union two sons have been born-Edward and Frank. Politically he is a Democrat and is serving as a member of the town council. He is one of the elders in the Lutheran church at Pleasantville.
BENJAMIN F. ELDER, whose well cul- tivated farm of eighty-five acres is situated in Pleasant Township, Section No. I, Fairfield County, O., is a leading agriculturist of this locality. He was born in Pleasant Township, September 10, 1860, and is a son of Hamilton and Elizabeth ( Palmer) Elder.
Hamilton Elder was born in Perry County, O., a son of William Elder, who came to that county from Baltimore, Md., accompanied by two brothers, and settled in Reading Town- ship at so early a day that they found many Indians still in the neighborhood. The family has always been an agricultural one and Ham- ilton Elder followed farm pursuits throughout all his active life. He now lives retired, being in his seventy-seventh year, and residing one
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mile west of New Salem, O. In youth he united with the Methodist Episcopal church and has ever since been a member in good standing. He married Elizabeth Palmer, who was born in Fairfield County, and of their family of children, the following survive : Benjamin F., of Pleasant Township; Mar- garet A., of Walnut Township; Sarah A., widow of James M. Smith, of Richland Town- ship; Charles E., of Mercer County, O .; Ed- ward C., a school teacher near Stuttgart, Ark .; Tunis I., of Mercer County, O .; Corinna E., wife of Robert Love, of Perry County, O .; Homer S., of Walnut Township; Milton S., of Licking County, O .; Mary J., wife of Lee Warner, of. Perry County; and Roy P., a physician, at Columbus, O.
Benjamin F. Elder attended school in Pleas- ant and Richland Townships and the Fairfield Union Academy at Pleasantville, afterward teaching eleven terms in the following six years, in the meanwhile and since, also en- gaigng in farming. He located on his present place in the fall of 1888. Mr. Elder has been a public spirited citizen of his township and has served on its school board.
In October, 1888, Mr. Elder was married to Miss Martha E. Friend, a former well known resident of Pleasant Township, and three children have been born to them: Carrie F., a graduate of Pleasantville High School, who was teacher one term, and who is the wife of Clyde M. Bright, of Walnut Township; Sarah E., wife of Arthur Berry of Licking County, who is a graduate of the Pleasantville High School; and William, who gives his father assistance on the farm. Mr. Elder is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at New Salem, in which he is serving as steward and class leader. He belongs to Pleasantville Grange. Patrons of Husbandry and formerly was chairman of the Farmers'
Institute, which had headquarters at Pleasant- ville. He is a man of strong temperance prin- ciples and is identified with the Prohibition party.
DAVID HENRICKS, a retired farmer and highly respected citizen of Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, O., still resides on his valuable farm of seventy-five acres, lying east of Bremen, O. He was born three miles southwest of that town, December 13, 1842. His father was Joseph Henricks, who was a son of George Henricks.
Grandfather George Henricks came to Ohio from Virginia and settled in Licking County and there, on Jonathan Creek, his son Joseph was born. He was probably reared there but married in Fairfield County and resided here until 1850, when he moved to Hocking County later back to Fairfield and then to Illinois, where he died in 1881, at the age of sixty- two years. For a number of years he was an elder and minister in the Rush Creek Dunkard Church. He voted with the Democratic party but it was against his principles to hold any political office. He married Elizabeth Seitz, who was born in Fairfield County, a daughter of Daniel Seitz and a sister of Enoch Seitz, who was noted as a mathematician. They were the parents of seven children, five of whom survive. Her death occurred in 1864, when she was aged forty-six years.
David Henricks was eight years old when his parents moved to Hocking County and he went to school there and lived in that county until he married, when he returned to Fair- field County and for nine years afterward lived on a farm one mile south of Bremen. He then moved to his present farm-one that was en- tered from the Government by the same man who laid out Bremen. After Mr. Henricks came here he made many improvements, erect-
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
ing the buildings now standing and introducing many modern methods of agriculture. He has year. Of their ten children six survive: Jesse ten oil wells on his place. D., of Walnut Township; William W., Frank L. and Thomas Isaac, all of Pleasant Town- ship; Mary E., wife of Roy T. McNaghten, who was in the government employ at St. Louis, Mo., but is now in the lumber business at Pleasantville, this county; and Fannie W., who is the wife of Harry I. Turner, of Pleasantville.
Mr. Henricks married Miss Sarah A. Mer- icle, who was born one mile south of Bremen, a daughter of John and Margaret (Harmond) Mericle. John Mericle spent his life on the farm near Bremen, in section 28, Rush Creek Township, which is now owned by his son Frederick. His death occurred in his ninetieth year, on April 21, 1909. He was a member of the Church of the Brethren. As above indicated, he married Margaret Harmond, a daughter of Frederick Harmond. To Mr. and Mrs. Henricks three children were born: Charles C., who died at the age of fifteen years; Clara Elizabeth, who died at the age of thirteen years; and Mary Jane, who is the wife of Daniel Beery. Mr. and Mrs. Beery live on this farm and they have two children, Carl David and John Clay. Mr. and Mrs. Henricks are members of the Church of the Brethren in which he is a deacon.
WILLIAM W. ROWLES, a representative farmer and stock raiser of Pleasant Township, where he owns 245 acres of valuable land, is a native of Ohio, born February 18, 1865, in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, and is a son of William and Rebecca (Larmier) Rowles.
William Rowles was born in Fairfield County, a son of William Rowles, who was one of the early settlers of Rush Creek Township and lived and died at Bremen. The father of William W. Rowles resided in Rush Creek Township until 1871, when he moved to Pleas- ant Township and for many years carried on farming here, his death occuring February 2, 1904. He was a Republican in politics, and for many years was a member of the Presbyterian church. He married Rebecca Larimer, who was born in Perry County, O., and now resides
at Pleasantville, being in her seventy-second
William W. Rowles was six years old when the family moved from Rush Creek to Pleas- ant Township, where he was reared to man- hood, attending the public schools and Fairfield Union Academy at Pleasantville. His main business interests have always been of an agricultural nature and his farm is one of the most productive in Pleasant Township. Mr. Rowles was married first to Miss Lena E. Mil- ler, who was born in Morgan County, O., a daughter of Henry and Mary Miller. Mrs. Miller survives and lives in Pleasant Township. At death Mrs. Rowles left one son, Eldridge M., who lives in this township. For his second wife, William W. Rowles married Miss Eliza- beth M. Winter, who was born in Berne Town- ship, a daughter of Ferdinand and Mary C. (Welker) Winter, the latter of whom is de- ceased. The father of Mrs. Rowles lives near Royalton, O. Mr. and Mrs. Rowles have four children-Anna F., Clarence W., Edith C. and Mabel. The family belong to the Presbyterian church at Rushville. In politics Mr. Rowles is . a Republican. The venerable father of Mrs. Rowles was born in Germany but has lived in America since boyhood, in early manhood being a school teacher in Berne Township, Fairfield County. He is a member of the Lutheran church.
FREDERICK MERICLE, whose valuable farm of 224 acres, situated near Bremen, O., in Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, has
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been in the family for four generations, carries on general farming and stock raising and is one of the substantial men of this section. He was born on this farm, October 20, 1863, a son of John and Margaret (Harman) Mericle.
John Mericle was also born on this farm which his grandfather had entered in 1801 and it has never left the family. He followed farming here during all his active life, his death occurring in his eighty-ninth year. He married Margaret Harman and they had five children : Sarah, who married David Hen- dricks, of Bremen, O .; Lydia, who married Milton Frestow, and died in 1875; Hylas, who married Hattie Hilliard and died December 3, III, in Nodaway County, Mo .; Frederick, subject of this sketch; and Charles, who is deceased.
Frederick Mericle obtained his education in the district schools. Farming and stock rais- ing have been his occupations and he is num- bered with the successful agriculturists of Rush Creek township. Mr. Mericle married Miss Clara Dotson, who died January 1, 1909. Six children were born to them, and three are now living, namely: Walter, who married Grace Everett, and has two children --- Margaret and Catherine; May, who married John Ruff, of Lancaster, O., and has two chil- dren-Frederick and Edna; and Carl, who as- sists his father on the farm. In politics Mr. Mericle is a Republican.
EDWARD W. KULL, a substantial farmer and representative citizen of Greenfield Town- ship, of which he is a trustee, has spent the larger part of his life in Fairfield County, O. He was born in Berne Township, January 22, 1863, a son of Lewis and Mary (Shull) Kull.
Lewis Kull was born in Berne Township, Fairfield County, a son of Frederick Kull, who was born in Germany and who, when he emi-
O., but later moved to Fairfield County. Lewis Kull married Mary Shull, who was born in Hocking County. They reside in Berne Town- ship, Mr. Kull being now in his seventy-eighth year. Of their children the following survive : Caroline, who is the wife of Frederick Krile, of Shelby County, Ill. ; Louise, who is the wife of George Ruff; Minnie, who is the wife of John Reel, of Shelby County, Ill .; Edward W., subject of this sketch; Sarah, who is the wife of Prof. William Walter, a well known educa- tor of Fairfield County; Sophia, who is the wife of Ferdinand Pfeiffer, of Shelby County, Ill. ; Charles F., who lives at Urichsville ; O .; George, wlio resides in Berne Township; and Clara, who is the wife of Webster Deeds, of Berne Township, Fairfield County.
Edward W. Kull grew to man's estate in Berne Township and attended the public schools. From youth up he has been inter- ested and engaged in agricultural pursuits and owns two valuable farms of 100 acres each, both being in Greenfield Township. In 1889 he moved to Shelby County, Ill., where he lived for ten years and then returned to Fairfield County and ever since has been a resident of Greenfield Township. In politics he is a Demo- crat and while in Illinois, served for six years as treasurer of his township and also as town- ship commissioner, having been recognized as a reliable and reputable citizen wherever he has lived.
On December 20, 1883, Mr. Kull was mar- ried to Miss Emma E. Weber, who was born in Hocking County, O., a daughter of Andrew and Margaret Weber, who moved at a later date to Lancaster, O. Mr. and Mrs. Kull have two sons : Carl M. and Elmer F. Mr. and Mrs. Kull are members of the Lutheran church at Lancaster, of which he is a trustee. He is now serving his second term as trustee of Greenfield Township.
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HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
HENRY WINEGARDNER GEIGER, a of Rushville, Ohio. He also owned a farm of native son of Fairfield County, was born near 160 acres in Section 12, Walnut Township, which he inherited from his mother. To this farm he moved March 29, 1866. In 1873 he took up his abode at New Salem, Ohio, and there practically lived a retired life, save for the attention which his property demanded. He was a member of the Masonic order at New Salem. In 1879 he and his wife united with the Reformed church under the pastorate of Rev. F. C. Yost. He departed this life in No- vember, 1862. Rushville, Ohio, May 22, 1848. His great- grandfather, Adam Geiger, came to this county from Woodstock, Va., in 1806, and purchased 640 acres of land in Pleasant Township and a part of this is now included in the corporation of the village of Pleasantville, Ohio. He was the father of sixteen children. His son, David Geiger, the grandfather of our subject, accom- panied his parents in the removal to Fairfield County and resided with them until his mar- riage to Catherine Winegardner in 1808. They began their domestic life on a farm in the locality and to them were born two chil- dren, John and Herbert. John, the elder, moved to Indiana and resided on a farm until his death. A few days after the birth of Her- bert, the younger son, the mother died and later David Geiger married Elizabeth Howdyshell. They became the parents, of three children, David, Mary and Elizabeth. David Geiger, Sr., died near Pleasantville, Ohio, in 1826. Herbert Geiger, the second son of David Geiger, and the father of our subject, was born September 26, 1810 near Pleasantville, Ohio, and was reared by his grandmother, Catherine Winegardner, on a farm near Rushville, Ohio, and remained there until he entered business for himself in 1835 in partnership with Mr. Reed in conducting a general store in Rush- ville, Ohio. After a few years Mr. Reed sold his interest to George Crawford and the firms became Geiger and Crawford. Later the senior partner purchased the interest of Mr. Crawford and conducted it until 1845 when he sold the store and with his uncle, Henry Winegardner, entered the tannery business and Henry Winegardner Geiger was born May 22, 1848, near Rushville, Ohio. He received his education in the public school and the West Rushville Academy. He moved with his father to the farm near New Salem in Section 12, two years later, 1847, he purchased his uncle's interest. He married Sarah Lamb on the eighth of April, 1847. In 1856 he sold his tan- nery and purchased a farın of 264 acres south
As before stated, he married Sarah Lamb, who was born December 28, 1821, a daughter of William Lamb, a prominent farmer and stock raiser of this county. She received her education in the public school and academy at West Rushville, which was taught by the Rev. Mr. Anderson, a Presbyterian minister. She also attended the Female Seminary at Gran- ville, Ohio. She departed this life March 19, 1908. To this union was born two children, Henry W. and Alwilda C. The latter was born near Rushville, Ohio, Nov. 27, 1859, and re- ceived her education in the public school of Walnut Township and Fairfield Union Acad- emy at Pleasantville, Ohio. She also attended music school at Warren, Ohio. She was a member of her father's household until 1884 when she married Prof. W. M. Wikoff. To them were born six children-Garnet, Bernice, Herbert, Charles, Paul and Walter. Prof. Wikoff is a very prominent man both in school and Sunday-school work and is also interested in agricultural pursuits. He and his family re- side in Columbus, Ohio, and the children are still pursuing their education.
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Walnut Township, March 29, 1866, where he resided and was engaged in agriculture until Sept. 29, 1895, when he moved to his present home in Pleasant Township. On October 2, 1870, he married Elizabeth Clementine Berry, a daughter of Edward and Elizabeth Yontz Berry, she being the fifth daughter of a family of eight children. She was born May 7, 1850, on the Edward Berry farin. To them were born four children. Electa Florence, died in infancy. Emmett Carl, the elder son, was born on the home farm in Walnut Township, July 9, 1874. He married Elsie May Bugh, eldest daughter of M. C. Bugh, on April 18, 1896, and they moved to a farm near Pleasantville, Ohio, where they still reside. To them were born four children-Raymond, Lester, Ray and Ralph, the three eldest being now deceased. Edward Herbert, the second son, was born on the home farm near New Salem, Ohio, Oct. 19, 1878. He moved with his parents to Pleas- antville, Ohio, Sept. 29, 1895, and there he re- sided until Nov. 12, 1901, when he returned to the home farmn in Walnut Township near New Salem. On Oct. 2, 1901 he married Gertrude May Friend, the eldest daughter of J. W. and Sophia (Furry) Friend. They have three chil- dren-Florence Meriam, born Sept. 10, 1902; Carol Friend, born June 9, 1907; and Herbert John, born May 31, 1909. Alwilda Hazel, the youngest child, was born April 3, 1884, in Wal- nut Township, Fairfield County, Ohio, and re- sided with her parents and pursued her educa- tion until February, 1909, when she married Ray Musser, second son of A. J. Musser, of Walnut Township. They lived for a while on the farm in Section II, Walnut Township, then moved to Pleasantville, Ohio, where they now reside.
JOHN A. HUTCHINS, who owns eighty- four acres of productive land which lies in
Clear Creek Township, Fairfield County, O., has resided liere for the past ten years and is numbered with the solid and representative men of this section. He was born in Madison Township. Fairfield County, and is a son of George and Margaret (Martin) Hutchins.
The parents of Mr. Hutchins were born in Amanda Township, Fairfield County, and they now live retired at Amanda village. During the last months of the Civil War the father en- tered the Federal Army but hostilities closed before his regiment left Columbus. He is a Democrat in politics, and with his wife belongs to the Presbyterian church. They have three children-Emanuel, John A. and Mary Etta, the last named being the wife of Ira M. Brund- age, of Allen County, O. The grandfathers on both sides, John Hutchins and Adam P. Mar- tin, were early settlers in Fairfield County.
After his school days were over, John A. Hutchins began to learn the principles of farm- ing and continued at home three years after he reached maturity and then rented the home- stead for two years. 'In 1901 he bought his farm from Wesley Conrad and immediately started to improve it, erected a fine barn, re- modeled the residence and other buildings and since then has carried on his farm operations with very satisfying results. He understands his business and is a practical, thorough-going man in everything he undertakes.
In 1899 Mr. Hutchins was married to Miss Olive Thomas, a daughter of Allen and Ellen (Hedges) Thomas, and they have four chil- dren: Jesse L., Clyde, Carl Josephi and Tru- inan. Mr. Hutchins and family attend the Presbyterian church. He casts his vote with the Democratic party.
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