USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions > Part 39
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Mr. Craig's fraternal affiliation is with the Knights of Pythias and he is also a member of John M. Bell Post No. 119, Grand Army of the Re- public. Politically, he is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Repub- lican party, in the affairs of which he has been active in many ways. Mr. Craig is a man who is popular with all classes and when his name appeared on the ticket as a candidate for the office of county auditor, his friends rallied to his support and twice he was elected by a good majority. With the greatest efficiency he discharged the duties of that office to the satisfaction of all.
Shortly after his return from the army, on November 16, 1866, Mr. Craig was united in marriage to Matilda A. Sollars, a daughter of Isaac and Hannah (Jones) Sollers, the former of whom was a native of Fayette county. He was a son of Samuel Sollars, a native of England who emi- grated to this country when a young man and secured government land in this state under the administration of President Jackson. Isaac Sollars was the father of eleven children, four of whom are deceased. These are Jona- than, Isaac M., Jacob T. and Eliza J. Those living are Mary E., Matilda
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(wife of the subject ), Wells B., Barton, Ella H., Samuel and Alsina. Mrs. Craig has been a resident of this county all her life. Mr. and Mrs. Craig are the parents of two sons, Isaac F., who married Anna Artz and resides in Dayton, this state, is the father of three children, Lucile, Ellen and Emily. William, the younger son, married Barbara Young and has one son. Malcolb W.
Personally, Mr. Craig is a man of clean character who has ever exerted a healthful influence in the community, giving his support to any movement which promised the advancement of the interests of those about him in any legitimate way. He has long been regarded as among those men who are interested in the advancement of township and county affairs and through his manner of living and his varied interests here he has won a host of friends who regard him as one of the leading men of the county.
HUMPHREY JONES.
It can not be other than interesting to note in the series of personal sketches appearing in this history the varying conditions that have compassed those whose careers are outlined, and the effort has been made in each case to throw well focused light onto the individuality and to bring into proper per- spective the scheme of each respective character. Each man who strives to fulfill his part in connection with human life and human activities is deserv- ing of recognition, whatever may be his field of endeavor, and it is the func- tion of works of this nature to perpetuate for future generations an authentic record concerning those represented in its pages, and the value of such publi- cations is certain to be cumulative for all time to come. The beginning of the career of him whose name heads these paragraphs was characterized by hard work and conscientious endeavor, and he owes his rise to no train of fortunate incidents or fortuitous circumstances. It is the reward of the ap- plication of mental qualifications of a high order to the affairs of business, the combining of keen perceptions and mental activity that enabled him to grasp the opportunities that presented themselves. This he did with success and, what is more important, with honor. His integrity is unassailable, his honor unimpeachable, and he stands deservedly high with all who know him.
Humphrey Jones, well known lawyer, farmer and banker, of Washing- ton C. H., is a native son of the old Buckeye state, having been born on a farm near Jeffersonville, Fayette county, on the 31st day of January, 1857.
HUMPHREY JONES
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He is the son of William H. and Olivia ( Hidy ) Jones, who were born, he in Wales about twenty miles south of Liverpool, and she in Fayette county, Ohio, near Jeffersonville. To these parents were born six children, namely : Mary J., wife of Luther M. Irwin, of Jeffersonville. Ohio; Emina O., the wife of Richard McCormack, of Columbus, Ohio; William H., of Sullivan county, Indiana ; Humphrey, the immediate subject of this sketch; Cary, of London, Ohio: Minnie J., the wife of Dallas Reading, of Jeffersonville, Ohio. The subject's father, William H. Jones, was in early life by trade a cabinet- maker and stair-builder. He remained at his home in northern Wales until nineteen years of age, when he went to Manchester. England, where he fol- lowed his vocations, all of the work in those days being done by hand. When twenty-six years of age he came to America and located in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he was engaged in stair building and also did considerable general con- tracting in the building line. During this period, ambitious to better his condi- tion and following a natural inclination, he applied himself to the study of medicine in the Eclectic Medical College of Cincinnati. Upon completing his professional studies, he located at Oak Hill, Jackson county, this state, where for two years he practiced medicine, and then canie to Jeffersonville, where he applied himself to the practice of his profession up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1894, when eighty years of age. He was survived several years by his widow, who passed away in 1898, aged sixty-seven years. Religiously, Doctor Jones was, in early life, identified with the Calvinistic and Presbyterian churches, hut later he and his wife identified themselves with the Universalist church. Doctor Jones was greatly interested in educa- tional matters, was public spirited to an eminent degree and during the early sixties he served as a member of the board of county commissioners. He was also a successful business man, having become the owner of several valuable farms in the county.
The paternal grandparents of the subject of this sketch were William and Jane Jones, natives of Wales, where the father followed farming and milling, and there spent his entire life and died. His widow, with three of her children, then started for the United States, following her son William. who was already established here. However, the mother died at sea, and the orphaned children were compelled to complete their journey alone. They reached Cincinnati, where their brother William tenderly cared for them until they reached mature years. These children were David and Jane, later Mrs. Burnham. Two other children remained in England. On the maternal side, Humphrey Jones is descended from Joseph and Mary (Carr ) Hidy, the
(27)
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former a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the latter of Virginia. He was of German descent and she sprang from Irish antecedents. They located in Fayette county, Ohio, where he became an extensive land owner and successful farmer in the early days. They both died here at advanced ages, he being ninety-seven and she eighty-seven at the time of their deaths. They became the parents of ten children, Joseph, Humphrey, Urban, Isaac, Will- iam, Olivia (Jones), Margaret ( Beatty ), Louisa (Tway), Sidney (Brock) and Clarissa ( Wendle).
Humphrey Jones was reared on the paternal farmstead near Jefferson- ville and received his educational training in the district and village schools. He remained at home until attaining manhood and then successfully en- gaged in teaching school-that vocation which for thousands has been but a stepping stone to higher things. In the meantime, Mr. Jones was applying himself diligently to the study of the law and in 1883, after two years study in the law office of Hon. Mills Gardner, at Washington C. H., was admitted to the bar. He at once opened an office in Washington C. H., and has been closely identified with much of the important litigation in the local courts as well as in the courts of other counties in the state and in the federal courts during the subsequent years. He has not only won a wide reputation as a successful and able lawyer, but he has also been successful in his private business affairs, so that today he is counted among the wealthy men of Fay- ette county. He is the owner of much valuable farming land, which demands considerable of his attention. His farms lie in Wayne, Union, Madison, Marion and Paint townships. this county, and in Sullivan county, Indiana. Mr. Jones has always taken a special interest in upbuilding and developing his farm lands and in improving the methods of farming and stock feeding. Some fourteen years ago he conceived the idea of building silos for use in steer feeding operations and erected several very large concrete silos on his lands. These silos are believed to be the first in the United States built on any considerable scale for steer feeding purposes. Since then this method of steer feeding has been very greatly extended and is now rapidly coming into general use throughout the corn belt of the country. Mr. Jones has also been a strong advocate of thorough tile ditching and soil upbuilding by the rotation of crops and handling of live stock, and much of his lands have been doubled and trebled in their productiveness by his systematic handling and their value greatly increased. In 1895 Mr. Jones was one of the re- organizers of the People's and Drovers' Bank, at Washington C. H., one of the solid and influential financial institutions of Fayette county, and has since
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served efficiently as president of that bank, the other officers being William H. Thornton, vice-president, and Roy T. McClure, cashier. The capital stock of the bank is one hundred thousand dollars, with a surplus of thirty- five thousand dollars.
On June 19, 1888, Humphrey Jones was united in marriage with Laura B. Willis, the daughter of James M. and Emily (Southward) Willis, of Bloomingburg, this county, where Mrs. Jones was born and reared. Her par- ents were both natives of Ohio, and both are deceased, her father dying in 1888, aged eighty years, and her mother passing away at about the same age. They were the parents of three children. William R., James W. and Laura B. Mrs. Jones' paternal grandparents were Nathaniel and Mary (Parker ) Willis, who, in an early day, came to Ross county, Ohio, from Boston, Massachusetts. Nathaniel Willis is deserving of specific mention as the founder of the Youth's Companion, and after his location in Ohio he founded the Scioto Gasette, said to be the first newspaper established in Ohio and which is still being published. This worthy couple passed away in Ross county, this state, and were buried near Bainbridge. By a former marriage Nathaniel Willis was the father of two children, "Fannie Fern," the noted novelist, and Nathaniel Parker Willis, well known as a poet.
Politically, Humphrey Jones has been a supporter of the Republican party and has taken a keen and intelligent interest in public affairs. His ability and integrity received substantial recognition when, in 1912, he was chosen a member of the constitutional convention, in which he rendered effective service to his state. Mr. Jones having in his professional life always been much connected with and interested in real estate law and land titles. was the author of and secured the adoption by the constitutional convention of an amendment to the state constitution clearing the way for the adoption in the state of a system of land title registration. The amendment was rati- fied by the people, receiving the second largest vote of any of the forty-one amendments submitted. By reason of his special knowledge of the subject
Mr. Jones was selected to draft the law, which was. in May, 1913. enacted by the Legislature pursuant to this constitutional amendment providing for the system, and he also drafted the forms of record and procedure under this law which were approved and prescribed by the attorney-general for the guidance of officers and attorneys having duties to perform thereunder.
Fraternally, Mr. Jones is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, holding membership in the lodge at Bloomingburg, as well as the lodge of Knights of Pythias at the same place, and Washington Lodge No. 129.
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Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. His religious sympathies are with the Methodist Episcopal church, of which society Mrs. Jones is a member.
Personally, Mr. Jones is genial and easily approached, possessing to a marked degree those qualities which win friends. He has always stood ready to identify himself with his fellow citizens in any good work and ex- tend a co-operative hand to advance any measure that is calculated to better the condition of things in the community. He is a great lover of music. possesses several fine old violins and obtains his greatest recreation in play- ing upon them.
DELBERT C. HAYS.
The photographic art has made great strides in the past few years, and the development of this art from the time the first daguerreotype was put on the market down to the present time has kept pace with the advance of other arts and sciences. The development of the camera and kodak has been so rapid that the dealers have hardly been able to keep up with the many changes. At the present time hardly a town or city of any size but what handles kodaks of some kind and thousands of amateur photographers are found scattered throughout the United States. With all of this development it is not to be wondered at that the professional photographer has seen his business increased by leaps and bounds. The desires to have the pictures of our relatives and friends was never as strong as it is today, and with the in- creased production of photographic supplies, the product has fallen to such a price that good pictures are within the reach of all. One of the photograph- ers of Washington C. H. who is attaining an enviable reputation in his par- ticular line is Delbert C. Hays, who has maintained a studio in this city for the past seven years.
Delbert C. Hays, the son of George D. and Lucy M. ( Williams ) Hays. was born in Paint township, this county, March 23. 1883. His parents were both natives of this county, and his father is still operating a farm in Paint township, although he is now living in Washington C. H., where he has resided for the past thirty years. For several years he was engaged in the coal and ice business in this city, but is now in active charge of his farm, although not living on it. George D. Hays is the son of Hackney Hays, an early settler in Fayette county. Hackney Hays and his wife were the par- ents of a large family of children, Lynn, Morgan, George D., James S., Mrs. Ellen Mallow, Mrs. Almira Thompson and Mrs. Martha McCoy. All of
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these children, except Lynn and Morgan, are still living. The parents of Mrs. George D. Hays were H. B. Williams and wife, also early settlers in this county. H. B. Williams was twice married, his first wife having died many years ago, after which he married again, and to the second union three children were born, Burton, Alice and Fanny. There were two children by the first marriage, Jay G. and Lucy M.
Delbert C. Hays was reared in Washington C. H. and, after finishing the course in the public schools of this city, began the study of photography, and has made this his life work. In 1907 he opened a studio of his own, and for the past seven years has been located at the corner of Court and Main streets. His studio is equipped with all of the latest and most approved cameras and accessories, enabling him to give his patrons all of the latest designs in the photographic art. Being a man of artistic tastes and genial disposition, he has built up a large patronage in the city and county, and has the satisfaction of seeing his business increase from year to year.
Politically, Mr. Hays is identified with the Progressive party, having cast his fortunes with that party upon its organization in the fall of 1912. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, and has at- tained to the chapter and commandery degrees. Mr. Hays is still a young man and has so conducted himself thus far as to merit the hearty approval of his many friends and neighbors.
ANDA E. HENKLE.
The Henkle family traces its ancestry back to Jacob Anthony Henkle. who came to this country in 1717, locating in Pennsylvania, near German- town. One of his descendants was Moab Henkle, the grandfather of Anda F. Henkle, the present county auditor of Fayette county. Moab Henkle and his wife, Amy Bush, were both natives of Fayette county. He was a farmer and merchant and died in Washington C. H. in 1872, being about sixty-six years old at the time of his death. His wife died a few years later, being past seventy years of age at the time of her decease. Moab Henkle and wife were the parents of a large family of children, Samantha, Melinda, Ella, Catherine, Hulda, Simeon, Polly, and Curran W., the father of Anda E. Henkle.
Curran W. Henkle and his wife, Caroline Bryan, were both natives of this county and reared a family of eleven children, ten of whom are still
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living: Asa C., of Washington C. H .: llai S., of Chicago: Simeon L., of Holland, Michigan: Anda E., with whom this narrative deals: Nona, the wife of James T. Perrill, of Union township, this county: Orvis T., of Chicago; Lida E., the wife of Robert S. Schriver, of Mt. Sterling; Guy C., of Chicago; Rosa, the wife of James Lilly, of Columbus, Ohio; John, who died in 1896, and Lillie C., who is still at home. Curran W. Henkle was reared on the farm and at the opening of the Civil War enlisted in the One Hundred and Sixty-eighth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry. His con- pany was captured in Kentucky by the Confederates, but was later paroled and rejoined his regiment. After the close of the war he returned to this county, where he engaged in farming, contracting, brick manufacturing and trading. He died in Mt. Sterling, Ohio, in 1894, at the age of fifty-eight. his wife still surviving him. They were members of the Methodist Protest- ant church. The parents of Caroline Bryan, the wife of Curran W. Henkle. were John and (Reed) Bryan, early settlers in Fayette county. John Bryan was a blacksmith, miller and farmer and died in this county at an advanced age. His wife died in Kansas several years previously. John Bryan and wife were the parents of four children: Hermanus ; Rosa ; Caro- line, the wife of Mr. Henkle, and one other.
Anda E. Henkle, the son of Curran W. and Caroline ( Bryan ) Henkle, was born in Illinois, March 4, 1866. He was reared on his father's farm in Fayette county and attended the district schools until he completed a good education. Being a young man of keen intellect and wide reading, he had no difficulty in passing the teachers' examination as provided by the state of Ohio, after which he started in to teach and for a period of twenty-five years taught in the various schools of this county. During the summer vacations he followed the brick-laying trade, which he had learned with his father. As a teacher he ranked as one of the most successful the county has ever had, and it is probably true that no man in the county has a wider acquaint- ance than Mr. Henkle. \ glowing tribute to his integrity as a man and worth as public-spirited citizen is shown in the fact that he has been elected three times to the office of county auditor. His first election occurred in 1908, and he was re-elected in 1910 and 1912. In the administration of the duties of this office he has given the most conscientious and careful service and has earned the reputation of being one of the most efficient county offi- cials.
Mr. Henkle was married October 31, 1894, to Louisa Short, a daughter of Reuben B. and Ellen ( Gibson) Short. Mrs. Henkle, as well as her par- ents, are natives of this county. Her father died in 1912, and her mother in
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1872. Mrs. Henkle being the only child born to her parents. The grandpar- ents of Mrs. Henkle, Thomas Short and wife, were also natives of this county. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Henkle was William D. Gibson, and his wife was a member of the Sheets family.
Mrs. Henkle is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Ilenkle belongs to the Free and Accepted Masons, including the blue lodge, the Royal Arch and the commandery degrees. Politically, he is a Republican and has always been interested in politics. As a Republican he was elected auditor of his county and his party has honored him in elevating him to this position on three different occasions. He has a most genial disposition and pleasing manner. His long career in the school room has made him a great student of human nature and a man who can always look on the bright side of life. It is safe to say that in any list of representative men of his county his name would always find an honored place.
ROBERT HOWAT.
The United States is the most cosmopolitan nation of the carth. Its citizens are drawn from every country and clime, and for this reason this country is frequently known as the "melting pot" of the world. No nation has furnished better or more substantial citizens for this country than Scot- land, and those who have come from that country have become highly re- spected citizens of the various communities where they have settled. The United States census of 1910 credits Fayette county with four native-born Scotchmen, and of these Robert Howat, the cashier of the Fayette County Bank, is one. Coming to this country as a young man and with no resources, he has achieved success by close application to his business and the utilization of his innate ability.
Robert Howat, the son of Robert and Janet ( Howat ) Howat, was born in Ayrshire district, Scotland, in October, 1851. He was one of nine chil- dren and the only one of the family who ever canie to America. His father was a dry goods merchant in Scotland and died there at the age of sixty-six.
Robert Howat, Jr., received a good common school education in his native land and when a young man came to America and settled in Detroit, where he entered the employ of C. R. Mabley, a clothing merchant of that city. He remained with him two years, and in 1879 came to Washington C. H., where he has since resided. He followed the merchant tailoring busi-
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ness for several years after locating in this city and then entered the bank- ing business as the cashier of the People's and Drovers' Bank. He re- mained with this bank from 1895 to 1908, when he became connected with the Fayette County Bank as cashier. This bank was organized December 2, 1899, with a capital stock of fifty thousand dollars, which has since been increased to one hundred thousand dollars. Mr. Howat is thoroughly ac- quainted with every detail of the banking business and is regarded as one of the most efficient and conservative bankers of the city.
Politically. Mr. Howat is a member of the Republican party and takes an intelligent interest in his party's welfare. At the present time he is a member of the board of education of his home city, and is active in pro- moting every measure which will increase the efficiency of the public schools of the city. Fraternally, he is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and has attained to the degree of Knight Templar. He is a man who is recognized as one of the city's ablest business men, and has always been active in every public-spirited measure which was proposed for the benefit of the city.
WILLIAM JOHN PATTERSON.
One of the best known men of the past generation in Fayette county. Ohio, and one whose record is well deserving of a place in this history of his county, is William John Patterson, a resident of this county for more than half a century. He was one of its most prominent and enterprising agri- culturists and a man whose heart always beat in sympathy with his fellow men. Perhaps his dominant and most notable characteristic was his fidelity to truth and honor and invariably he sought the things that were honest and of good repute. In the training of his children no precepts were so con- stantly or so urgently insisted upon as those which concerned sound and worthy character. He taught them that honor and truthfulness were of such commanding worth that self interest should never under any circum- stances set them aside, and these principles were the standard by which he estimated men and which he himself religiously held. His life was an inspira- tion to all who knew him and his memory remains to his friends and children as a blessed benediction of a noble and upright life.
The late William John Patterson was born in Philadelphia. Pennsyl- vania. October 8, 1852, and died in his country home in Fayette county, Ohio, October 8. 1913, passing away on his sixty-first birthday. He was the
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son of Robert and Mary (Cunningham) Patterson, his father being a native of county Donegal, Ireland. Robert Patterson came to Philadelphia when a youth and worked in the coal mines in eastern Pennsylvania. He was mar- ried in Philadelphia to Mary Cunningham, and to their union were born eight children: Ezekiel, deceased: Mary, deceased: William John, whose career is here briefly reviewed; Mrs. John Shields; Robert; Mrs. Sarah Cassell ; Mattie, deceased, and H. B.
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