USA > Ohio > Fairfield County > History of Fairfield County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 85
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Benjamin D. Clump was about twelve years old when his parents came to Fairfield County and he attended several terms of school afterward. General farming has been his main business and he has made it profitable. He married Elizabeth Strayer, who was born in Fairfield County, O., a daughter of Benjamin Strayer, of Berne Township, and they have one daughter, Sylvia M., who is a student in the Lancas- ter High School. Mr. Clump and family belong to the Lutheran church, in which he
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is a deacon. In politics he is a Democrat. He is a man who possesses the confidence of his fellow citizens and is serving in his second term as a trustee of Pleasant Town- ship.
J. MADISON JACKSON, who has re- sided on his present valuable farm of 62 acres, situated in Greenfield Township, Fairfield County, O., since 1882, is a repre- sentative citizen of this section, widely known and highly respected. He was born September 29, 1860, in Good Hope Town- ship, Hocking County, O., a son of Henry H. and Eliza (Jones) Jackson.
Henry H. Jackson was born in Berne Township, Fairfield County, O., a son of John Jackson, who was an early settler there. Later he moved to Hocking County and while living in Good Hope Township, near Sugar Grove, served as township clerk and as school director. His brother, Col. Ezra P. Jackson, who served in the Civil War, became a well known contractor and builder, erecting structures of all kinds in Hocking, Fairfield and Franklin Counties, Ohio. For several years he was officially connected with the Boys' Industrial School near Lancaster, O. Henry H. Jackson moved to Fairfield County in 1882. He married Eliza Jones, who was born in Hocking County, and of their children the living are as follows: George W., of Car- roll, O .; Emma, wife of Frank Pletch, of Frankfort, Ind .; Edward; J. Madison, sub- ject of this sketch; Ezra; Charles B. and Homer D., of Chicago, Ill .; and Wesley. Henry H. Jackson and wife were members of the Advent church.
J. Madison Jackson has been engaged in agricultural pursuits since he completed his attendance at school. His farm shows the
effects of careful cultivation and he devotes it to general farming and stock raising. On January 23, 1890, he was married to Miss Carrie Young, a daughter of John S. and Ara A. (Kiger) Young, of Greenfield Township, the latter-Mrs. Young-being now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have one child, a daughter, Mayme, who is at- tending school at Carroll. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Carroll and Mrs. Jackson is ac- tive in the Ladies' Aid Society and in the Womans' Christian Temperance Union. In politics Mr. Jackson is a Republican.
JOHN HOSLER,* who is one of the substantial and representative citizens of Fairfield County, O., is a large landowner in several sections of the county, having 200 acres .in Clear Creek Township, and 283 acres in Amanda Township. He was born in Amanda Township, February 28, 1855. His one brother, Joseph Hosler, is engaged in the farm implement business at Amanda, Ohio.
John Hosler was educated in the public schools of Amanda and Tarlton and since then has devoted himself to agriculture, working on the homestead until he reached man's estate and then assuming responsi- bilities of his own. With the exception of five years he has resided on his present Amanda Township farm all his married life. He was married March 29, 1882, to Miss Ida Lutz, a daughter of Daniel and Jemima (Dreisbach) Lutz, who were farming peo- ple in Clear Creek Township. Mrs. Hosler is the youngest member of the family, the other survivors being a brother, John, and a sister, Jennie, who is the wife of Dr. R. B. Miller, who is a practicing physician of Chi- cago, Ill. One brother, Nelson, is deceased.
MR. AND MRS. FRANCIS REICHELDERFER
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Mr. and Mrs. Hosler have three children: teen years; Charles, who died, aged seventeen Jessie, who is the wife of Frank Bussard, a years; Susan, who was twelve years old at the time of death; Sarah, who is the wife of Daniel Heffner, of Salt Creek Township; Francis, subject of this sketch; Jacob, who died in 1895, when aged thirty-four years; and two babes that died unnamed. resident of Chicago; Fred, who lives at home ; and Ralph, who is a student of medi- cine at Columbus and a graduate in phar- macy. Mr. and Mrs. Hosler attend the Presbyterian church. In politics he is a Republican.
FRANCIS REICHELDERFER, who, with his brother, James Reichelderfer, con- ducts business in Amanda Township, under the name of The Fairfield Canning Company, Inc., is an experienced man in the line of business he follows and is a valued citizen of this sec- tion. He was born in Salt Creek Township, Pickaway County, Ohio, July 20, 1859, and is a son of Samuel and Sarah Reichelderfer.
In the early settlement of Pickaway County. Ohio, Jacob Reichelderfer came as a pioneer from Berks County, Pa., bringing with him the industry and thrift inherited from sturdy Ger- man ancestors, and in Salt Creek Township he developed a farm. On that farm Samuel Reichelderfer was born in 1813, and in his childhood saw Indians and when older hunted game in the forests that then covered that now cultivated section. He was a farmer all his life and died in 1875, his widow surviving until July, 1890. They had the following chil- dren : Amos, who died in Delaware County, Ohio, aged forty-eight years; Caroline, who died in Salt Creek Township, was the wife of Nelson Avis; Elizabeth, who died in Pickaway County, was the wife of Lewis Jones; Ira, who was formerly a commissioner of Pick- away County, and lives in Salt Creek Town- ship; James, who is associated with his brother Francis in the canning business and resides in Circleville, where he is interested also in the Sears & Nichols Canning Company; William. who died in Salt Creek Township, aged nine-
Francis Reichelderfer attended the country schools in boyhood and remained on the home farm until about 1897, when he went to Circle- ville, Ohio, where he remained for one year, and in 1898 came to AAmanda. In association with his brother James he built the elevator now operated by the Huston & Swope Com- pany, dealers in grain and farm implements. In 1902 the Fairfield Canning Company built the present plant in Amanda Township, which is well equipped and has a capacity of about 40,000 cans of peas, corn, tomatoes or pump- kin, per day. Present business prospects are excellent, and the products turned out by this company have won a ready sale on account of their superiority.
On November 2, 1882, Mr. Reichelderfer was married to Miss Sarah Dresbach, who was born in Ross County, Ohio, and is a daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Rauck) Dresbach, natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, respectively. Mr. Dresbach died in 1875 and his widow December 2, 1911. Mr. and Mrs. Reichelderfer have had four children : Samuel Dresbach, Lyman D., Vest D. and Karl D. Samuel D. was born November 14, 1884. and is a graduate of Bliss Business College and also of the Northern Illinois College of Oph- thalmology and Otology, and is bookkeeper for the Fairfield Canning Company ... He is active in politics and is clerk of both the village and town of Amanda and also of the township school board. Lyman D., the second son, was born December 18, 1886, and died aged about eight months. Vest D., born November 29,
43
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1890, after graduating from the public schools of Amanda, attended the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity at Delaware for two years and then entered Starling Medical College at Columbus, where he is completing his third year of study. Karl D. was born July 6, 1894, and is a stu- dent in the Amanda schools. Mr. Reichelder- fer and family are members of the Presbyte- rian church, in which he is an elder. He is a Democrat in politics and has filled the office of mayor of Amanda for two terms and has also served two terms on the village council. He is a dependable citizen and a wide awake business man.
THOMAS JONES, who, for nearly a quarter of a century has been a justice of the peace in Berne Township, and has held other public offices, resides on a finely cul- tivated farm of twenty acres, which he de- votes largely to garden truck and fruit growing. He was born in Perry County, O., June 23, 1855, and is a son of Andrew J. and Catherine (Jourdan) Jones.
Andrew W. Jones was born in Perry County, O., and was a son of John Jones, a native of Virginia and of Welsh parentage. John Jones and wife were early settlers in Perry County and there Andrew J. Jones was reared, moving some time previous to the outbreak of the Civil War, to Fairfield County and settling at Sugar Grove, where he followed his trade of shoemaker. He served one year in the war but owing to disability was discharged at the end of that period and died in Berne Township when over fifty years of age. Of his children three survive: Thomas; Eliza, wife of James Johnson, of Pickaway County ; and Elizabeth, wife of F. M. Hall, of Berne Township.
Thomas Jones was young when his par-
ents moved to Fairfield County and his rearing was in Berne Township, where he attended school and afterward learned the shoemaking trade with his father. He fol- lowed his trade for a number of years but latterly has given much of his attention to his farm pursuits. In politics he is a Demo- crat and on numerous occasions has been selected by his fellow citizens for offices of responsibility. He is serving as assessor of Berne Precinct, for several years has been a notary public and for twenty-five years a justice of the peace. He is also a member of the school board and has been its presi- dent.
Mr. Jones was married first to Miss Anna Sherbern, a daughter of Joseph Sherbern, formerly of Berne Township, and they had two children: Albert L. and William J. His second marriage was also in Berne Township, to Miss Mary Tipple, a daughter of Noah Tipple, and they have one daugh- ter, Hazel, who is a student at Crawfis In- stitute, in Berne Township. Mr. Jones and family are members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, in which he takes an active interest and promotes in every way the de- velopment of the Sunday-school, which he believes is the cradle of the church.
AUBREY E. LEITH,* a prosperous general farmer, owning 117 acres of fertile land in Walnut Township, was born on his present farm, October 8, 1876, a son of Leslie W. and Rebecca C. (McNaghten) Leith. His paternal grandfather was Isaac Lowery Leith, also a resident of this town- ship, where the father of our subject was born August 9, 1845. The latter, Leslie WV. Leith, is now the postmaster at Pasa- dena, California. His wife, who was a daughter of David Y. McNaghten, was born
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February 17, 1848, and died November 27, J. Frederick Hoffman came to America in 1832 1898, when in her fifty-first year. She and her husband were the parents of three chil- dren, namely: Aaron, born in 1871, who died in 1877; William M., born in 1874, who lived but a few years, dying in 1878; and Aubrey Engene, whose name apepars at the head of this sketch.
Aubrey E. Leith was reared to manhood in his native township and in his youth at- tended the district school, later graduating from Fairfield Union Academy in 1897. He then returned to the farm, which he pur- chased in 1900 and which is the old Mc- Naghten farm originally entered by his grandfather. He has since remodeled the buildings and made-many other important improvements, transforming it into a very desirable piece of agricultural property. Here he follows general farming and also raises Percheron horses, Duroc hogs, cat- tle, etc., his stock being all of high grade. He is a stockholder in the Pleasantville Bank and has a well established reputation as one of the township's prosperons and representative citizens. He belongs to the Masonic and Pythian lodges at Pleasant- ville and in politics is a Republican.
Mr. Leith was married January 23, 1901, to Nettie Barr, a daughter of Jacob and Mabel (Friend) Barr, and has one child. Donald Barr Leith.
ALBERT HOFFMAN, chairman of the school board of Berne Township, Fairfield County, O., and a highly respected citizen of this section, was born in this township, Au- gust 17, 1857, and is a son of J. Frederick and Rebecca M. (Martens) Hoffman.
The father of Mr. Hoffman was born in Würtemburg, Germany, but the mother was born in Madison Township, Fairfield County.
with his parents and lived with them for sev- cral years at Hagerstown. Md. The family came from there to Fairfield County, O., and lived for a time at Lancaster. They then took up their residence in Hocking Township, Fair- field County, just west of the city, and re- mained there for a period of twelve years, sub- sequently settling on the property in Berne Township on which the subject of this sketch now resides.
While living west of Lancaster, J. Frederick Hoffman became a member of a military or- ganization known as the "German Gnards." This company was under the command of Cap- tain Witte, also a native of Germany, who had received his military training in his native land. This company, as also others at that time, was an independent organization-that is, they were not under governmental laws, but owned their own uniforms, arms, etc. They also had their own musical organization, a good mili- tary band-mostly Germans. At the time when the corner stone was laid for the first State House at Columbus, this company re- ceived first honors, and occupied front ranks during the ceremonies. On this occasion they made the journey to the capital by canal boat, leaving Lancaster in the morning and arriving at Columbus at "candle-light." This military organization remained in existence until the time of the Mexican War, ( 1845-48), when many of its members enlisted in the U. S. army and the company finally disbanded. J. Fred- erick Hoffman died October 24, 1894; his widow survived him until November 7, 1904. Of their five children, four survive, namely : Albert, David M .. . Amelia J. and Charles F. Mary M., the other child, is deceased. Mr. Hoffman was a successful farmer and an hon- est and upright man. He was a member of the Lutheran church.
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Albert Hoffman grew to man's estate in Berne Township. He tended the country schools and has always been interested in the cause of education. In politics he is a Demo- crat and has served two terms as road super- visor and for four years served as assessor of Berne Precinct. In 1900 he was elected a member of the school board, of which he has been chairman for several years. He is a men- ber of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, near North Berne, in which he has served as deacon, ves- tryman and financial secretary. A brother, David M. Hoffman, has been organist of the church for over a quarter of a century, while another brother, Charles F., has served as dea- con and vestryman and is now treasurer of the church cemetery. The family has been lib- eral in its support to this church and are among its most devout members.
HENRY A. CASSIDY,* superintendent of the public schools of Lancaster, O., is a man of scholarly attainments and of long exper- ience in educational work. He was born in Ireland and was educated at Marlborough Col- lege, Dublin, and in that city noted for its learning and culture, first entered upon educa- tional work, which he later continued in Eng- land and still later in America.
Mr. Cassidy spent some years as a teacher at Worthing, County Sussex, England. In 1888 he came to America and in the following year became principal of the High School at Bellefontaine, O., where he continued until 1902. In that year he came to Lancaster, ac- cepting the position of principal of the Lan- caster High School, and in 1903 was made superintendent of schools.
Mr. Cassidy is a member of the Presbyter- ian church. His only fraternal connection is with the Masons.
E. B. MCCULLOUGH, a prominent citizen of Rush Creek Township, Fairfield County, O., whose 240 acres of fine land is separated into two farms, lives in Section 25, where he was born, April 20, 1863. He is a son of Wil- liam and a grandson of William McCullough.
Grandfather William McCullough was born in Ireland and was eighteen years of age when he came to America, locating first in Pennsyl- vania. He was twice married there, his first wife leaving one son, and his second five chil- dren. She belonged to the same Calhoun fam- ily that gave John C. Calhoun, lawyer and statesman, to the country. To this marriage were born: Alexander, William, Rebecca, Nancy and Margaret. After the second mar- riage, William McCullough came with his fam- ily to Fairfield County, O., settling on the land which now is the home of his grandson, E. B., and the old sheepskin deed, in the latter's pos- session, bears the signature of James Monroe, President of the United States. After the death of his second wife, in Rush Creek Town- ship, Grandfather Mccullough married a Miss Nelson, who was a native of Hocking County, O., and five children were born to them: Rob- ert, James, Samuel, Elizabeth and Sarah. Wil- liam Mccullough died in 1857, on what is called the upper farm, his third wife surviving him for some years. They were members of the Presbyterian church.
William McCullough, father of E. B. Mc- Cullough, attended school in Rush Creek Township and as he was gifted in music, he taught it for a time in early manhood and was interested in it all his life. He remained at home and helped to clear the land, until his marriage, when he settled on a farm in Mon- day Creek Township, Perry County, near Streightsville, where, for twelve years he op- erated a saw-mill and a water-mill. During
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the coal boom in that section, he sold eighty acres of his land for $6,000, which afterward was sold for $50,000. He then returned to Fairfield County and at the time of death, in 1883. he owned 320 acres of partly improved land. He was a man of importance wherever he lived and was an influential member of the Democratic party. It was a matter of gen- eral knowledge that he was the best informed man on all questions while living in Perry County, where he was a trustee of Monday Creek Township. He attended all the early Democratic conventions in Fairfield County, as a delegate, and had he so desired might have held many official positions. He was one of the first stockholders of the C. M. V. Rail- road, then the Fairfield County, and also of the B. & O. Railroad, the latter at that time being a losing investment.
He married Elizabeth Nixon, who was born near Clarksburg, Va., and came with her par- ents, John and Rebecca Nixon, to near Max- ville, Perry County, O. She lived to the age of eighty-six years and both she and her hus- band were buried in Bethel Cemetery. They were members of the Presbyterian church. They had the following children : an infant son that died unnamed; Sarah Ann, who died in infancy; Rebecca, now deceased, who mar- ried first, John Larmer, and secondly Harris Wilson ; Jane, who is the wife of William Mar- tin, of Perry County, O .; Lucinda, who lives in Perry County, the widow of Hilus MeCune, who died April 25, 1911 : Samuel, owner of one of the largest farms in Hardin County. O., who married Ann Jane Wright, of Fair- field County; Margaret, who is the wife of Jacob Barnes, and resides near Somerset, O .; Nancy, who is the wife of Calvin Sherburn, and lives in Shelby County, Ill. ; William, re- siding in Rush Creek Township, who married Mary E. Rowles; Caroline, deceased, who was
the wife of Judge Focht, of Perry County: and E. B., of Rush Creek Township, Fairfiekl County.
The youngest member of the family, E. B. McCullough remained at home, grew up on this farm and obtained his education in the local schools. He became the owner of his two farms through purchase and has spent his life here, making many improvements and bringing farming and stock raising to a high standard. His land is situated three miles southeast of Bremen, O. Formerly he raised sheep as well as other stock but no longer gives attention to that branch, but makes something of a specialty of raising fine horses. Mr. Mc- Cullough follows agriculture along modern lines and had much to do with the organiza- tion of Rush Creek Grange, serving as its first Worthy Master. In addition to his large agri- cultural interests, he has numerous others, in- cluding investments in the Flagdale Oil and Gas Company; the Middletown Oil and Gas Company; the Geneva Oil and Gas Company, and is a stockholder and one of the directors of the First National Bank of Bremen. Ile has been a lifelong Democrat and for seven years has been a trustee of Rush Creek town- ship.
In October, 1884, Mr. Mccullough was mar- ried to Miss Etta Hodge, who was born in Rush Creek Township, a daughter of Isaac and Matilda Hodge, and they have had three children: Judson, who resides on one of his father's farms, married Nellie Blosser and they have one daughter, Bessie Irene; Forrest. who died from an attack of measles when she was only seven months okl; and Pearl, who resides at home. lle has won honors ever since he has attended school. past the Patter- son test at the age of 10 years, in 1908, and is now a student in the Bremen High School. this being his third year. Mr. Mccullough belongs
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to Crescent Lodge No. 561, Odd Fellows, at Bremen, O., and also to the Masonic lodge at Bremen, O. For twenty-three years he has been a member of the school board of Rush Creek Township, and, in fact, has taken a leading part in all matters of public concern in this section, since early manhood.
WILLIAM K. THOMPSON,* a leading citizen of Walnut Township, Fairfield County, O., engaged in general farming and stock rais- ing on his valuable farm of 169 acres, which lies in section 19, was born October 11, 1839, on his present farm, in the log house that his father erected after he purchased this land. His parents were Moses and Anna (Kalb) Thompson.
Moses Thompson was born in Pennsylvania and in boyhood accompanied his parents to Fairfield County, where they settled in the woods of Walnut Township and spent the rest of their lives among early pioneer conditions. They had two daughters and four sons: Eliza- beth, who became the wife of John Coble; Ann, who married John Yates; and William, Moses, Jesse and John, the youngest of whom died in childhood. Of this family, William bought a one-half section in Walnut Township, Jesse located near the reservoir, while Moses bought what is now the farm of his son, William K. Thompson. On this land he built first a log cabin and later replaced it with a larger and better house, and here his death occurred in 1862, when aged sixty-nine years. He was twice married, first to Anna Kalb, who died when her son, William K., was a child, and second to Mrs. Malinda (Bowes) Sites, a widow and a native of Virginia. Four chil- dren were born to the first union : Mary Jane, who was the wife of James K. Groves, both now deceased; Elizabeth, who married Peter
B. Cool; Wliliam Keiffer ; and Serena, now de- ceased, who was the wife of William Haver. No children were born to the second marriage.
William K. Thompson has spent his long and busy life on his old birth farm, a privilege that in these days of change is not afforded every one. In boyhood he attended the district school and many of his neighbors were com- rades in his early days. Being an only son he assumed responsibilities early and gave his father much assistance. When the father died one half of the farm came to him and his youngest sister and they bought the other half and subsequently the entire farm came into Mr. Thompson's possession. He has devoted his land to crop raising and stock producing and has prospered in his undertakings. In 1884 he erected his commodious brick residence, one of the best in the township. For some years he has been more or less retired, having given over the management of the farm to his young- est son, Carl.
Mr. Thompson was married March 30, 1865, to Miss Sophia M. Jeffries, a daughter of James and Mary Jeffries, and a cousin of the ex-champion heavyweight, James J. Jeffries, now of California. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Thompson ; James D., a resident of Walnut Township, who mar- ried Minnie Spettler ; Elizabeth and Ada, both of whom died when aged seventeen years; William, living at Kirkersville, O., who mar- ried Essie Baughman; Verda Claude, who is the wife of George Seymour, and lives in Lick- ing County ; Herbert, who lives at Outville, O., and who married Effie Cunningham; Amanda ; Jasper, who lives at Millersport, and who mar- ried Elizabeth Huston ; and Carl, on the home farm. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Republican in politics and has served in the office of township trustee.
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PHILIP SCHMELZER, who is one of the Mt. Hope Oil and Gas Company and the Rush Creek Township's most substantial and Geneva Oil and Gas Company, being also a director in several of these. In polities he is a Democrat and has served for three terms as a member of the school board in Rush Creek Township. enterprising citizens, was born in Rush Creek, Fairfield County, O., October 24, 1857. He is a son of John Schmelzer and a brother of John N. Schmelzer, and in partnership with the latter has a half interest in 436 acres of land. The brothers are also interested together and individually in a number of business en- terprises of this section.
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