USA > Ohio > Fayette County > History of Fayette County, Ohio : her people, industries and institutions > Part 71
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Mr. Hopkins was married in 1883 to Sarah Jane Taylor, the daughter of Phillip and Sarah (Bennett) Taylor, and to this union three children were born, Clem, Morris B. and Ruth Ann. Clem married Eliza Cook and has two children, Frank E. and Margaret.
Politically, Mr. Hopkins is a stanch Republican, but has never been an applicant for any public office. Fraternally, he holds his membership with the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America.
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GEORGE N. GLICKNER.
One of the substantial and wide-awake citizens of Perry township is George N. Glickner, who is now serving as trustee of his township. He has been very largely dependent upon his own resources and has attained no insignificant success, though he, like most men of affairs, has encountered obstacles and met with reverses. He is a man of splendid personality and because of his industrions habits and persistent energy has attained definite success along agricultural lines and enjoys the respect and esteem of the community in which he has lived for so many years. He is one whose in- tegrity and strength of character have commended him to everyone with whom he has been associated. That he is regarded as a man of ability is evidenced by his election to the 'responsible position of township trustee.
George N. Glickner, the son of Jacob and Nancy Glickner, was born in Fayette county, Ohio, in 1859. His father was born in Germany and when a young man came to America and first located in Brown county, Ohio. He came to this country alone, his parents and the remainder of his family remaining in their native land. After remaining in Brown county for a short time, Jacob Glickner went to Hillsboro, in Highland county, Ohio, and while working there was married and moved on a farm in that county. Jacob Glickner lived in Scioto county for a while and later moved to Fayette county, where he lived the remaining years of his life. Eight children were born to Jacob Glickner and wife, David, Mary E., George M., Mahala, John, Joseph, Mrs. Jane McDonald and Mrs. Sarah Speigel.
George N. Glickner received his education in Scioto and Highland counties, and attended the Buena Vista schools in the former county and finished his education in the district schools of Highland county. After com- pleting his education he worked on his father's farm until his marriage. He later came to Fayette county and purchased his present farm of one hun- dred and forty acres in Perry township about one mile from New Martins- burg. He has been a successful farmer, dividing his attention between the raising of grain and produce and the breeding of live stock, with the result that he has a very comfortable income.
Mr. Glickner married Maggie Larrie, the daughter of John and Ellen Larrie, and to this union have been born four children, William, Fred, John and May. William married Ida Dowler and has one son, Chester; Fred married Olive Johnson and has two children, Loran and Herbert: John is living in Highland county ; May is still residing with her parents.
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Politically, Mr. Glickner is a Democrat and has always been interested in political matters. He has been regarded as one of the leaders of his party in the township for many years and, being a man of good business ability, was nominated by his party for the office of township trustee. He was subsequently elected to this important position and is administering the duties of this office in such a way as to give universal satisfaction to his fellow citizens. Mr. Glickner is a whole-souled, genial and kindly man who is interested in every movement which he thinks will benefit his community. His life has been singularly free from anything which might bring upon him the censure of his neighbors and therefore lie is well deserving of a place in the history of his county.
THADDEUS T. TURNER.
.A highly respected citizen of Marion township, Fayette county, Ohio, is Thaddeus T. Turner, who is an enterprising farmer, owning one hundred and seven acres of fine farming land on the Turner road, nine miles from Washington C. H. He comes from an excellent family, his father having been a lawyer, teacher and farmer, while he himself followed teaching for several years. As a matter of fact, public school work has interested the various members of this family for at least three generations. Not only was the father of Mr. Turner a teacher, but Mr. Turner's children are also school teachers.
Thaddeus T. Turner, the son of James W. and Sarah (Evans) Turner, was born October 13, 1846, near Ringgold, Ohio. His father was a native of Loudoun county, Virginia, and was the son of Lewis and Uriah ( McKnight ) Turner. Lewis Turner came to Morgan county, Ohio, from his native state with his parents when he was eleven years of age. Lewis Turner was the son of John Turner, a native of Wales, and an early settler in Virginia. Lewis Turner was a soldier of the War of 1812. James Turner and wife reared a family of eleven children, Alonzo J., Theresa, Thaddeus T., Clar- ence F., Tell .\., Marion B., Flora E., Sarah, Elmer, Theodore and Mary. Of these children Thaddeus T., Tell A., Marion B., Flora E. and Mary are living, while the others are deceased.
Thaddeus T. Turner went to school to his own father, who was a public school teacher in the district schools of Morgan county, Ohio. His father was an excellent teacher and also practiced law. By the time he was old
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enough to teach school, Mr. Turner had no difficulty in securing a teacher's license, and then taught school in Morgan county until he was twenty-six years of age. In 1872 Mr. Turner came to Fayette county, Ohio, and taught school in various parts of the county, at one time being a teacher in the high school.
Mr. Turner was married in 1880 to Sarah Dick, the daughter of Charles and Jane ( Hankins) Dick, of Pickaway county, Ohio. To this union three children have been born, Florence, Clara and Orville. Florence married W. Boyer, and has two children, Walter and Wendell, and lives at Good Hope. Ohio. Clara and Orville are still at home and are public school teachers in Fayette county.
The Republican party has claimed the hearty support of Mr. Turner and he has taken an active part in his township and county in political affairs. It is but natural that he should be interested in educational matters, and as president of the school board of his township he has done efficient service for the educational interests of his community.
THOMAS A. JENKINS.
A distinguished veteran of the Civil War and a prominent citizen of Jefferson township, Fayette county, Ohio, is Thomas A. Jenkins, who is now living on the farm where he was born more than seventy years ago. He en- listed for service in the Union army in the Civil War when he was eighteen years of age and served with gallantry during the remainder of that terrible struggle. For more than fifty years he has taken a prominent part in every phase of his community life, and is one of the most highly respected citizens. of the locality where he has spent all of his life.
Thomas A. Jenkins, the son of Robert and Mary (Iron) Jenkins, was born in January, 1844, in a log cabin on the farm where he is now living. He was one of four children born to his parents, the others being Mrs. Esther Stoughton, S. W., Mrs. Mary F. French. Thomas Jenkins was the son of Jacob Jenkins, a native of Rockbridge county, Virginia. When he was a young man Jacob Jenkins came to Fayette county, Ohio, where he was drafted for service in the War of 1812, but the war closed and he did not have a chance to serve. He and his wife were the parents of six children, Hiram, John, Jacob, Mrs. Catherine Corbett, Willis and Elizabeth.
Thomas Jenkins attended the schools of his day and worked upon his
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father's farm until he was eighteen years of age. He then enlisted on August 8, 1862, as a member of Company C, Ninetieth Regiment Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry. His regiment was attached to the Army of the Cumberland and participated in many of the bloodiest battles of the war, among them being the following: Stone River, Chickamauga, Dalton, Peach Tree Creek, Kenesaw Mountain, Burnt Hickory and Jonesboro. He was wounded in one battle and for some time was laid up in a hospital, but finally recovered and rejoined his regiment before the close of the war. He has always taken a great interest in the Grand Army of the Republic Post at Washington C. H. and been active in everything pertaining to the welfare of the old soldiers.
Mr. Jenkins was never married. Politically, he is a stanch Republican and has been active in local political matters. He has served as road super- visor of his township, and also as school director. Mr. Jenkins is the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and forty-eight acres on the Jeffersonville and Washington C. H. pike, where he has spent the last fifty years. He is still enjoying good health and is highly regarded by everyone who knows him.
JAMES W. FITCHTHORN.
A distinguished veteran of the Civil War and a substantial farmer of Jasper township, Fayette county, Ohio, is James W. Fitchthorn, who has lived his entire life in the township where he is now residing. He is a son of Louis and Anna ( Hage) Fitchthorn. Louis Fitchthorn was the son of Phillip and Magdalene ( Harpoe) Fitchthorn, and was born in Franklin county, Vir- ginia, in 1808. Phillip Fitchthorn was in the War of 1812 and settled in Fayette county some years before his death. Louis Fitchthorn came to Fay- ette county, Ohio, from Virginia when he was twenty-one years of age, although he had previously stopped for a short time in Ross county, Ohio.
James W. Fitchthorn was educated in a rude log school house in his home neighborhood, and worked upon the home farm until he was nineteen years of age. He then enlisted in the Ninetieth Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry and served for the Union until the close of the war. He has taken an active interest in the Grand Army of the Republic Post, and is now the commander of the post at Millersville, the S. M. Yoeman Post.
Mr. Fitchthorn was married December 13, 1866, to Sarah Shafer, and to this union three children have been born, Clara, Elsie A. and Samuel.
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Fraternally, Mr. Fitchthorn is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons. He has long been identified with the Republican party in politics and has served for more than forty years as trustee of his township. It is possible that this record has never been equalled in the township, and is cer- tainly a tribute to his efficiency as a public servant. No one in the community stands higher in the esteem of his fellow citizens than Mr. Fitchthorn, and his everyday life has been such as to merit the universal esteem in which he is held.
JAMES RILEY VANNORSDALL.
One of the most extensive farmers of Fayette county, Ohio, is James Riley Vannorsdall, who was born more than eighty-three years ago in the township where he is now living. In fact, his whole career has been spent in the same locality and this long residence has endeared him to everyone in the township. As a farmer he has met with remarkable success ; as a public- spirited citizen he has done his full duty ; as a neighbor he has fully measured up to the highest standard. Such men lend stability to the community in which they live, and it is a pleasure to record the life of this sterling pioneer in the biographical annals of his county.
James R. Vannorsdall, the son of Garrett and Rosannah (Gray) Van- norsdall, was born in Jefferson township, Fayette county, Ohio, September 10, 1831. His father was the son of Abraham and Abigail (Johnson) Vannors- dall, natives and life-long residents of Virginia. Garrett Vannorsdall came from Berkeley county. Virginia, when a young man and located in Fayette county in Jefferson township. He and his wife were the parents of two chil- dren, James R. and Mrs. Sarah A. Gossard.
Mr. Vannorsdall received a very limited education, owing to the meager school facilities of his day. However, he was very much interested in educa- tion and by diligent study at home, qualified himself as a public school teacher. He taught school for a few years in his younger days and after his marriage at the age of twenty-two began to farm. He started out by renting eighty acres and later bought a farm of one hundred and fourteen acres, and with this small farm began a career which has seldom been equalled in Fayette county. Year after year found him more prosperous and able to add to his holdings, until at the present time he is the owner of sixteen hundred acres of fine farming land in Fayette and Greene counties. Two hundred and ten acres of his land is in Paint township, fifty acres in Greene county, and the
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rest in Jefferson township. It is needless to say that he has been progressive and enterprising in all of his business transactions, for his extensive land holdings are a sufficient proof that he has been very successful.
Mr. Vannorsdall was married September 4, 1853, to Susannah Horney, the daughter of Jefferson and Margaret (Griffith) Horney, and to this union twelve children have been born.
The family are all members of the Methodist Protestant church and have always been generous contributors to its maintenance. Mr. Vannorsdall is a heavy stockholder and a director in the Farmers Bank. Several years ago he was president of this bank, but on account of advancing age, retired from the active management of its affairs.
FORD ERVIN.
A self-made farmer and enterprising citizen of Paint township, Fayette county, Ohio, is Ford Ervin, who has a fine farm of one hundred and twenty- five acres on the Ervin pike, about twelve miles north of Washington C. H. He was born July 2, 1874. in Madison county, Ohio, and is the son of William and Clara (Carr) Ervin. William Ervin was the son of Joel Ervin and was a native of this county. Ten children were born to William Ervin and wife, Ludema, who is married: Smith, deceased; Orpha. deceased, who was the wife of A. D. Lukens, and the mother of one son, Roy; Ger- trude, who is married; Bethards. of Sedalia, Ohio; O. W .; A. O., a physician and surgeon of New Holland, Ohio; Ford, whose history is here presented; L. L., who is farming the old home place in Madison county ; Addie, deceased, who was the wife of Mr. Duff, and left one daughter, Laurel ; Clara, who is still at home.
Ford Ervin was educated in the district schools of Madison county and later attended the South Solon high school in the same county. He worked with his father on the home farm until he was married at the age of twenty- six, when he and his brother bought a farm of twenty acres and began to farm it in partnership. A few years later he disposed of his interest in this farm and bought his present farm of one hundred and twenty-five acres. He is a progressive young farmer and is deserving of much credit for the success which has come to him.
Mr. Ervin was married on Christmas day, 1900. to Inez M. Parrett, and
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to this union two daughters have been born, Louise, born May 8, 1904, and Martha, born March 31, 1906.
Politically, Mr. Ervin is a Republican, but has never been active in political matters. He and his wife are earnest members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
THOMAS HARPER.
There was born in Jasper township, Fayette county, Ohio, seventy-seven years ago, a lad who was destined to become one of the most substantial men of his township. Born in a rude log cabin near the present village of Octa, Thomas Harper, a gallant soldier of the Civil War and one of the largest land owners of Jasper township, has lived such a life as to merit the hearty esteem and respect with which he is held by every one with whom he is acquainted. His father was one of the early pioneers of this county and a worthy citizen who was deeply interested in the welfare of his community. It is needless to state that the man who accumulates a farm of seven hun- dred acres solely through his initiative and effort is deserving of a great amount of credit. It takes close economy, good business methods and man- agement as well as incessant industry to bring this about and these have been the characteristics which have marked the career of Mr. Harper. He still retains an unusual amount of energy, and although he is now seventy- seven years of age, he worked in the harvest fields in the summer of 1914, performing a very satisfactory day's work. It is such men who have made this county what it is today.
Thomas Harper, the son of James and Christina (Rankin) Harper, was born September 10, 1837, in a log cabin in Jasper township. His father was born in Virginia and came with his parents, also natives of Virginia, to Fayette county, Ohio, shortly after its organization in 1810. James Harper died in 1848 when Thomas was a lad of eleven years of age, leaving his widow with a family of six children, Mrs. Mahala Allen, Thomas, John, Mrs. Barbara Pierson, Mrs. Elizabeth Allen and Cyrus. Of these children, John and Barbara are deceased, while the others are still living.
Thomas Harper received the limited education which was afforded by the primitive schools of his day, although he was fortunate in being able to attend a select school in his home neighborhood. He was married before the Civil War and started in life on a farm of forty-three acres, most of which was covered with brush and water. From this small beginning he has.
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risen to a prominence which justifies his inclusion among the most substantial men of the township. His extensive land holdings of seven hundred acres bear ample witness of the prosperity which has attended his efforts and show that he is a man of more than ordinary ability. During the Civil War he and his brother, Cyrus, enlisted in the service of their country. Cyrus was a member of the cavalry branch of the service, and Thomas was a member of Company G, One Hundred Sixty-eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He served one year and then returned to his farm where he has since resided.
Mr. Harper was married in 1859 to Rachel Hargrove, the daughter of Hubert and Millie ( Oliver) Hargrove, and to this union have been born six children, Wallace, James, Charles, Lucinda, Christina and Estelle, all of whom are still living with the exception of James.
Mr. Harper is a loyal member of the Grand Army of the Republic and deeply interested in everything pertaining to the welfare of the old soldiers. He and his family are loyal and consistent members of the Methodist Epis- copal church, in whose welfare they are greatly interested.
GRANT DEWITT.
One of the most prominent stock dealers of Washington C. H. is Grant DeWitt, who was born in this county during the Civil War. He is engaged in farming, the buying and shipping of straw and has owned and developed one of the best racing horses which ever went out of Fayette county. Still later he engaged in the buying and shipping of cattle and is now engaged in this particular line of activity.
Grant DeWitt, the son of John and Martha ( Rittenhouse ) De Witt, was born in Fayette county, Ohio, four miles south of Washington C. H., on the Chillicothe pike, July 7, 1862. His parents, who were natives of Washing- ton C. H .. and Ross county, Ohio, respectively, reared a family of seven children: Mary Jane, the wife of James Kearney, deceased; Arvilla, de- ceased, who was the wife of Christopher Parrett ; Nellie, the wife of Charles Bowdell, of Hartford City, Indiana; Grant, of Washington C. H .; Frank, also of Washington C. H., and two who died in infancy, the eldest and youngest, both girls.
John H. DeWitt was reared on a farm four miles east of Washington C. H., in Wayne township, and was a farmer and stock buyer. He owned a farm of one hundred and sixty-five acres on which he lived until his death at
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the age of sixty. His wife died September, 1902. She was a member of the United Brethren church. John H. De Witt held various township offices and was also county commissioner at one time.
The paternal grandparents of Grant DeWitt were John and Mary ( Barker ) DeWitt, natives of Kentucky and pioneer settlers in Fayette county, Ohio, where they lived in Wayne township until their death. They reared a large family of children: Stephen D., Anderson, Darlington, Greenup, John, Jesse, Jane Allen. Rachel Prior, Candace Goldsbury. The maternal grandparents of Grant DeWitt were Tillman and Permelia (Tully) Rittenhouse, natives of Virginia and pioneer settlers in Ross county, Ohio. Tillman Rittenhouse was a judge of the Ross county circuit court for twelve years and also a farmer. He lived on his farm of seven hundred acres all the time that he was serving as judge of the court. Tillman Rittenhouse and wife were the parents of four children. James, William. Betsey and Martha. After the death of his first wife, Tillman Rittenhouse married Susan Shobe. and to this second union five children were born, Amanda, Chlora, Jack, Lewis and Minerva.
Grant DeWitt was reared on his father's farm in Union township and attended the district schools of his home neighborhood. He remained on the home farm until he was grown and then went to farming on his own account, later buying and shipping straw from Washington C. H. Still later he engaged in the raising of race horses. He owned and developed Lady Lancaster, a native track performer and the dam of six horses who made worthy records on the track throughout the state of Ohio. He finally dis- continued the breeding of race horses and engaged in the buying and ship- ping of cattle and is still engaged in this particular line of business. He moved into Washington C. H. in 1912, and now has a comfortable home at No. 221 Columbus avenue.
Mr. DeWitt was married December 27, 1892, to Sarah Catherine Dick. the daughter of Camillus HI. and Alsina Jane ( Arehart) Dick, and to this union three children have been born, Frank Harrod ( known as "Jack"), John Howard and Nellie Rittenhouse.
Mrs. DeWitt was born in Champaign county, Illinois, September 8. 1872. Her father was also a native of Illinois and her mother of Fayette county, Ohio. Her father died in 1881, at the age of thirty-four, and her mother is still living at the age of sixty-one. Two children were born to her parents, Sarah Catherine and Otta May. The paternal grandparents of Mrs. DeWitt were John and Rebecca Dick, natives of Illinois, who died at an advanced age after rearing a large family of children, William, Martin,
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John. Stewart, Camillus H., Mrs. Cass Ann Johnson and Mrs. Jane Grimm. The maternal grandparents of Mrs. DeWitt were Solomon and Sarah Ann (Myers) Arehart, natives of Virginia and early settlers in Fayette county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Arehart reared a large family of children, Amalgah, Oscar, Alsina J., Mary Catherine. Florence Virginia, Clara Elizabeth and Laura May.
Mr. and Mrs. DeWitt are loyal members of the Methodist Episcopal church and generous contributors to its maintenance. In politics, Mr. De- Witt is an independent voter, preferring to cast his ballot for the best men irrespective of their political affiliations.
GEORGE SMIDLEY.
A successful, self-made farmer of Marion township, is George Smidley, the owner of the "Elmwood Stock Farm" of three hundred and fifty acres. He is recognized as one of the energetic farmers of Fayette county, who, by his enterprise and progressive methods, has contributed in a material way to the advancement of the locality where he lives. In the course of an honorable career he has been successful along the lines to which his efforts have been directed, and enjoys distinctive prestige among the representative men of his community. He is a splendid type of a self-made American and has always borne his full share of the burden of civic life, being the trustee of his town- ship at the present time.
George Smidley, the son of William and Elizabeth ( Boblet) Smidley, was born July 3, 1867, in Ross county, Ohio. His father is still living in Illinois, while his mother is deceased and buried in the New Holland ceme- tery in this county. William Smidley was the son of Philip Smidley, who came to Ohio from Pennsylvania in an early day.
George Smidley was the only child born to his parents and was educated in the common schools of Ross and Fayette counties, coming to this county when he was thirteen years of age with his parents. He worked on the farm by the month and day from the age of thirteen until he bought a farm of his own. It was located in Wayne township, Fayette county. He man- aged this farm for a number of years and then sold it and bought his present farm of three hundred and fifty acres in Marion township. In addition to farming his own farm he rents an additional one hundred and fifty acres. This gives him a farm of five hundred acres to operate, one of the largest
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