USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 103
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as follow : Caroline, who is now living in Dayton, widow of David Shrodes; · Henry, deceased; Sarah, wife of Benjamin Sidenstick, of Yellow Springs; John, deceased; Anna, widow of John Shrodes; Helen, deceased, and Will iam, deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Carlisle have one son, Frank Carlisle, born in 1862, now living at Springfield, who married Sallie Jacoby and has four children, James Albert, Hester, Bertha and Mary. Hester Carlisle . married Dennis C. Riser and has two children, Ben Wilson and James Gale, great-grandsons of the subject of this sketch and his wife.
THOMAS A. DONLEY.
Thomas A. Donley, of Yellow Springs, was born here on May 8, 1872, a son of Michael and Anna (Maylan) Donley, the former of whoni was born in this state and the latter in Ireland and the latter of whom is still living, continuing to make her home in Yellow Springs, where she was married in 1866 and where her husband died in the fall of 1914.
Michael Donley was born at Sandusky, this state, October 10, 1838, and was twelve years of age when his parents, both of whom were born in Ireland, moved from Sandusky to Yellow Springs. He completed his school- ing at Yellow Springs and early became connected with the building trades and was one of those who helped to erect Antioch College. In April, 1861, Michael Donley went to the front with the first troops sent from this part of Ohio, thus becoming a participant in the first battle of Bull Run. Upon the expiration of his original enlistment he re enlisted and served until the close of the war, taking part in some of the important engagements of the Civil War. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Donley returned to Yellow Springs, resumed his work as a builder, married in 1866, estab- lished his home there and became one of the leading building contractors and stone masons hereabout, continuing engaged in that line the rest of his active life. He died at Yellow Springs on October 10, 1914, and his widow is still living there. To Michael Donley and wife were born twelve children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth. Of these children, the first three, Ellen, Stephen and William, are now deceased: Anna married Harry Fochler and is living at Dayton : Frank, unmarried, also is a resident of Dayton: Katherine married Joseph Hackett and is living on a farm in the Clifton neighborhood; Edward, unmarried; James, also unmarried; Howard, married, is living at Xenia, and John and Nellie are deceased.
Reared at Yellow Springs, Thomas A. Donley received his schooling there and early became familiar with the general details of the stonemason's trade. Upon arriving at man's estate he became engaged as a contractor
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on his own account and since that time has carried out building contracts in almost all parts of Ohio. Mr. Donley has for years made a specialty of ornamental stone work, with particular reference to boulder mantels and the like, and has done considerable work of that character at Springfield. One of the most notable examples of his craftsmanship in this line is the ornamental entrance to the Kelly farm north of Yellow Springs. In 1903 Mr. Donley served as street commissioner and for two years, 1906-07, served as marshal of the town. In 1911 Mr. Donley was elected mayor of Yellow Springs and by successive re-elections served in that important execu- tive capacity for four years. On November 6, 1917. he again was elected mayor of Yellow Springs, for a term of two years, and is now serving in that administrative capacity.
On June 12, 1900, Thomas A. Donley was united in marriage to Anna Fisher, who also was born at Yellow Springs, daughter of John and Catherine (Slate) Fisher, and to this union nine children have been born, namely : George, 'now (1917) sixteen years of age, who is a student in the high school; Thomas, fifteen; Charles, thirteen, also in the high school: Lillian, eleven ; Anna, ten; Nellie, eight ; Margaret, seven; John, who died in infancy, and James, two. The Donleys are members of the Catholic church.
THOMAS J. KOOGLER.
Thomas J. Koogler, proprietor of a seventy-acre farm in Beavercreek township, was born in that township on June 11, 1845, son of Solomon and Catherine (Jones) Koogler, the latter of whom was born in February, 1803, and died on January 31, 1856. Solomon Koogler also was born in Beaver- creek township, February 26, 1812, and spent all his life in his home township, becoming the owner of a farm of one hundred and forty acres there, besides one hundred and twenty-five acres in Miami township. His death occurred on April 25, 1902. He and his wife were the parents of four sons, the subject of this sketch having one brother living, John H. Koogler, of Beavercreek township, and two. George W. and Jacob, deceased.
Thomas J. Koogler reecived his schooling in the "Big Woods" school in Beavercreek township and after his marriage, when twenty-two years of age, began farming on his own account and has ever since been thus engaged. He has given considerable attention to the raising of Poland China hogs. Mr. Koogler is an independent voter. Years ago he rendered service for some time as school director in his home district.
On July 4, 1867, Thomas J. Koogler was united in marriage to Sarah J. Westfall, who also was born in this county and who died on June 9, 1917, and to that union were born nine children, the first-born of whom died in infancy, the others being the following: Frank W., who is living
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in Beavercreek township; Harlan, who remains on the home farm; Anna E., deceased; Julia C., at home; Susan, wife of Lincoln Harner, of Byron; Mary E., wife of Howard Carlisle, of Yellow Springs; Martha, at home, and Effie, wife of Thomas Moore, of Newport, Kentucky.
CLYDE WILSON ANDERSON.
Clyde Wilson Anderson, a well-known and successful building contractor of Xenia, was born on a farm three miles south of that city on December 10, 1888, a son of Horace and Ida May (Wilson) Anderson, the former of whom, still living, was born on that same farm and the latter, in the state of Indiana. Horace Anderson was reared on the old home place south of Xenia, where he was born and his schooling was completed in the old Xenia College. In 1887 he married Ida May Wilson, who was born in Indiana about 1869 and who had come to Greene county not long before her mar- riage. Horace Anderson had, from the days of his youth, been engaged more or less at work at the carpenter trade, in addition to his farmning opera- tions, and in 1896 entered into the general building contracting business, in which he is still engaged. He is a member of the school board in his district. He has been twice married. To the first union were born three children, two sons and a daughter, the latter of whom died in infancy, and the subject of this sketch has a brother, Earl, born on August 4, 1891, who married Golda LeValley and is engaged in farming two and one-half miles south of Spring Valley. The mother of these children died in 1905 and Horace Anderson later married Miss Wolf, to which second union has been born one child, a daughter, Lucile.
Reared on the home farm south of town, Clyde W. Anderson received his early schooling in the district school in that neighborhood, and supple- mented the same by a course in the Xenia high school, which he entered in 1909. As a boy he had learned the carpenter's trade and after leaving school he became employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, running from Cleveland to Pittsburgh, a year or two later returning to Xenia. Ahout that time his health began to fail and in the hope of finding relief by a change of climate he went to Medford, Oregon, where he became engaged at farming and carpentering and where he remained for a year, at the end of which time he returned to Ohio and took up his residence at Xenia and has ever since made his home there, engaged as a building contractor, and has been quite successful in that line.
On November 17, 1912, Clyde W. Anderson was united in marriage to Elizabeth Mckay Finlay, who was born in Dundee, Scotland, and who was eighteen years of age when she came to this country with her parents,
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William and Lillian (McGregor) Finlay, also natives of Scotland, the former born on January 9, 1861, and the latter, April 13, 1862, who are now living at Xenia, where they took up their residence upon their arrival in this country in April, 1904. Mrs. Anderson completed her schooling in the Xenia high school, which she entered in the fall after her arrival there and from which she was graduated in the spring of 1908. She is one of the six children born to her parents, three of whom, Boyd, Lillian and Beatrice, are dead: she having a sister, Pauline, living in Xenia, and a brother, William Finlay, Jr., who is now ( 1917) connected with the National Army, stationed at Ft. Sheridan. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have two chil- dren, Thelma Lillian, born on February 11, 1914, and William Finlay, July 20, 1916. They are members of the United Presbyterian church, and Mr. Anderson is independent in his political views.
GEORGE H. ECKERLE.
George H. Eckerle, proprietor of the "Republican" job-printing plant in Xenia, was born in that city on March 12, 1875, son of Florentine and Catherine (Fey) Eckerle, both of European birth, the former born in the grand duchy of Baden and the latter in Hesse-Darmstadt, who first met in Cincinnati and whose last days were spent in Xenia, where for years Floren- tine Eckerle was engaged in business on East Main street.
Florentine Eckerle was born in July, 1831, and grew to manhood in his native Baden, where he remained until the year 1859, when he came to this country and was located at Cincinnati and at Memphis, Tennessee, until 1865, in which year he located in Xenia, where he spent the rest of his life, successfully engaged in the retail meat business on East Main street. He died in January, 1907, he then being in the seventy-fifth year of his age. Florentine Eckerle was twice married. His first wife died leaving two chil- dren, Anna and Henry. Anna Eckerle married George Toews, of Spring- field, this state, and is now dead, as is her husband. They had four children, Christina, William, Fred and Adeline. Henry Eckerle, now deceased, spent all his life in Xenia. Following the death of the mother of these children Florentine Eckerle married Catherine Fey, his deceased wife's sister. She was born in Hesse-Darmstadt in December, 1841, and was about fourteen years of age when she came to this country with her parents in 1855, the family locating in Cincinnati. She predeceased her husband about nine years, her death occurring at her home in Xenia in December, 1898. To that union six children were born, those besides the subject of this sketch being Ada- line, John N., Mary, Bertha and Ben F., the latter of whom is a city mail carrier and one of the best-known citizens of Xenia. Adaline Eckerle
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married John G. Leis, a farmer, of Darke county, this state. To this union have been born six children, Louis, Lottie, Gertrude, Joseph, John, Jr., and Thelma (deceased). John N. Eckerle, who was an expert poultry and egg man, died in 1917. He married Anna Layton, of Greensburg, Indiana, and had two children, Florentine and John, Jr. Mary Eckerle married J. J. Molitor, a millwright, of Xenia, and has four children, Bertha, Florentine, Mary and Dorothy. Bertha Eckerle died at her home in Xenia in 1899.
Reared in Xenia, the city of his birth, George H. Eckerle received his early schooling there and was graduated from the Xenia high school in 1892, after which he entered Kenyon College at Gambier, this state, and was graduated from that institution, with the degree of Bachelor of Science, in 1896. Following his graduation Mr. Eckerle was appointed to the important position of assistant principal of the high school at Jamestown, and served in that capacity for four terms, leaving there in June, 1900, to accept the position of superintendent of the schools of Sugarcreek township, which position he occupied for two years, at the end of which time, in 1902, he was appointed superintendent of the schools at Bowersville and in that. capacity rendered further excellent service in behalf of the schools of this county for two years. In December, 1904, he was engaged to fill out an unexpired term in the office of superintendent of schools of Fairfield and during the winter of 1905-06 was again engaged at Jamestown, superintend- ent of the schools of that village. Mr. Eckerle then turned his attention to the newspaper field and, in association with W. O. Custis, bought the Greene County Press and continued engaged in the management of that paper for two years, at the end of which time he disposed of his interests to The Horse Journal and in January, 1909, went to Richmond, Indiana. where for two years he was engaged in the advertising business, representing various foreign advertisers in behalf of country newspapers. In 1911 he returned to Xenia and became engaged in the advertising department of the Daily Gasette, later becoming connected with the Republican, as advertising manager of the latter newspaper, and so continued until the consolidation of the Repub- lican with the Gazette in 1915, when he took over the considerable job- printing business which had been built up in connection with the publication of the Republican and has since been successfully engaged in the job-printing business in Xenia.
On September 12, 1900, at Jamestown, George H. Eckerle was united in imarriage to Edna Thuma, daughter of John and Virginia (Clark) Thuma, who are still living in that pleasant village, of which they have been resi- dents for years, John Thuma being engaged in the lumber and planing-mill business there. Mr. and Mrs. Thuma, both of whom were horn in the vicin- ity of Mt. Salem, Virginia, have three children, Mrs. Eckerle having a brother,
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Ernest Thuma, of Jamestown, and a sister, Mrs. Mabel Reeves. Mr. and Mrs. Eckerle have two children, Catherine, born on October 1. 1903, and Clarke, September 1, 1905. They are members of Trinity Methodist Epis- copal church at Xenia and Mr. Eckerle is the superintendent of the Sunday . school of the same. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the local lodge of the Free and Accepted Masons.
FRANK L. JOHNSON.
Frank L. Johnson, one of the most successful young lawyers in Xenia, was born in the village of Degraff, in Logan county, September 23, 1885, son of W. C. and Mary (O'Neal) Johnson, both of whom also were born in this state, the former in the neighboring county of Clinton and the latter in Greene county, and the former of whom was for years engaged in the mercantile business at Degraff, remaining there until his retirement from business and removal to Bellefontaine, where his last days were spent.
W. C. Johnson was born at Port William, in Clinton county, in 1839. a member of one of the old families there, his father and mother both having been born and reared in that county. He was one of four sons born to his parents, all of whom are now deceased, the others having been Frank, Oswald and Marion. Reared at Port William, he received his schooling there and early learned the details of the grocery business, presently going to Degraff, where he opened a grocery store and where, after his marriage, he established his home, continuing in business there all the rest of his active life. Upon his retirement from business he moved to Bellefontaine, where he died in 1906, his widow surviving him. She was born, Mary O'Neal, at Fairfield, in this county, daughter of Thomas O'Neal and wife, the former of whom also was born in this county, his parents having come here from their native Ireland, and who was a building contractor. Thomas O'Neal was twice married, by his first marriage having been the father of six children, those besides Mrs. Johnson having been Thomas (deceased), Frank (deceased). William, Alice and Charles, and by his second marriage, two children, Rus- sell and Carrie. W. C. Johnson and Mary O'Neal were married at Degraff and were the parents of three children.
Frank L. Johnson's youth was spent at Degraff and his early schooling was received in the schools of that village. He later entered the Bellefontaine high school, from which he was graduated in 1906, and during the period of his schooling there took an active interest in school athletics, particularly the football team. In the fall following his graduation from the high school he entered Ohio Northern University at Ada and was graduated from the law department of that institution in 1908, having taken the three-year course in two years, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Laws. For a year
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after receiving his diploma Mr. Johnson continued his law studies, thus gain- ing a practical insight into practice, and then successfully passed the state examination and was admitted to the bar on December 25, 1909. Upon being admitted to the bar Mr. Johnson engaged in the practice of his pro- fession at Xenia and has ever since been successfully engaged there, being recognized as one of the most capable and energetic young lawyers in the city. In May, 1910, he received the Republican nomination for prosecuting attorney of Greene county and was elected to that office in the ensuing election. In 1912 he was re-elected and in 1914 was again re-elected, thus serving for three terms in that important office, this term of service expiring on January I, 1917. During the campaign of 1916 Mr. Johnson was a candidate for the office of judge of the probate court, but owing to the confusion created in the minds of the voters by the presence nearer the head of the ticket of the name of another Johnson, a candidate for supreme court honors, was unsuccessful in his race, a sufficient number of votes to have elected him apparently having been diverted by hasty or careless voters to the other Johnson. Mr. Johnson is an ardent Republican and ever since taking up his residence in Xenia has given his earnest attention to the civic affairs of the county and city. By religious persuasion he is a member of the Baptist church.
FELIX P. EYMAN.
Felix P. Eyman, now living comfortably retired in the city of Xenia, was born on a farm over in Delaware county, Indiana, June 27, 1839, a son of George and Hannah (Peterson) Eyman, who later returned to Ohio, where they had been reared and where they were married and here spent the remainder of their lives, useful. residents of the New Jasper neighborhood in this county.
George Eyman was born in the neighboring county of Fayette, a son of pioneer parents, and in the early twenties of the past century was married in Greene county to Hannah Peterson, who was born in Hardy county, Vir- ginia, in 1801, and who was thus about eleven years of age when she came to Ohio with her parents in 1812, the family settling in Greene county. Not long after his marriage in this county. George Eyman moved over into Indiana and after farming for some time in Delaware county, that state, returned to Ohio with his family and settled in this county, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were earnest members of the German Reformed church and their children were reared in that faith.
Felix P. Eyman was but a child when his parents returned to Ohio from Indiana and located in this county and here he grew to manhood and received his schooling in the New Jasper schools. On October 12, 1861, he
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enlisted his services in behalf of the cause of the Union and went to the front as a member of Company A, Seventy-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served until the close of the war, being mustered out on May 9. 1865, with the rank of sergeant. Upon the com- pletion of his military service Mr. Eyman returned to his home in Greene county and presently became engaged in farming on his own account on a farm on the Wilmington pike. After his marriage in the spring of 1871 established his home there and there continued to reside, successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising, until his retirement from the farm in 1914 and removal to Xenia, where he is now living.
On April 22, 1871, at the residence of the bride's parents in this county, Felix P. Eyman was united in marriage to Mary Elizabeth Peterson, who was born in this county, daughter of Jesse and Eleanor Ann (Weaver) Peterson, both natives of Virginia, the former born in Hardy county, that. state, February 28. 1813, and the latter, in Frederick county, April 19, 1817, who were substantial residents of the Caesarscreek neighborhood. Mrs. Eyman is deceased and is buried in Woodland cemetery at Xenia. By. her union with Mr. Eyman she was the mother of one child, a son, Charles Edgar, born on June 2, 1876, who died on March 4, 1878, and is buried in the Peterson graveyard in Clinton county, where Mr. Eyman's mother also is buried. Mr. Eyman is a member of the Caesarscreek German Reformed church, as was his wife, and during the many years of his residence in that community was an active worker in the church.
CHARLES BUCK.
Charles Buck, head of the firm of Buck & Son, meat market, Xenia, was born in Xenia in 1865 and has lived there all his life. Thirty years ago he became engaged in the retail meat business in Xenia and has ever since been thus engaged, now having associated with him his eldest son, Edwin Buck, the concern doing business under the firm name of Buck & Son. This firm does an extensive business in its line and is recognized as one of the substan- tial business concerns of Xenia. Charles Buck is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he and his family are connected with the Reformed church.
Charles Buck married Mary Wolf and has four children, namely : Edwin, who married Hazel Whittington and who, as noted above, is asso- ciated with his father in business in Xenia: Earl, who also lives at Xenia ; Margaret, who married Edward Lang, of Xenia, and has one child. a daugh- ter, Margaret ; and Philip, who is connected with the operations of the firm of Buck & Son at Xenia.
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LEWIS R. JONES.
Lewis R. Jones, the proprietor of a fine farm and a comfortable home in Caesarscreek township, was born on a farm one mile north of where he now resides on August 23, 1856, son of John and Sarah (Bales) Jones, both of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families in New Jasper township, and whose last days were spent here.
John Jones grew up on the parental farm in New Jasper township and was married there, later establishing his home on a farm in Caesarscreek township, the place where the subject of this sketch was born. He developed and improved that place, and there spent the rest of his life. During the earlier days of his manhood John Jones worked for some time as a carpenter and millwright and was one of the best-known men in his community. Po- · litically, he was a Democrat and he and his wife were members of the Mt. Tabor Methodist Episcopal church. His wife died at the age of sixty-four years and he survived her for some years, living to be seventy-seven years of age. They were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch and his brother, Jacob R. Jones, a farmer in New Jasper township, alone now survive, the others having been William, Alice and Melissa Jane, the latter of whom died in the days of her girlhood.
Reared on the home farm in New Jasper township, Lewis R. Jones received his schooling in the Mt. Tabor school. He remained at home until his marriage, when twenty-five years of age, and after his marriage continued to make his home there, continuing his labors in the cultivation of the home place until he bought the place on which he is now living, the old Edward Powers place of eighty-five acres a mile to the south, and has ever since made his home there. Among the substantial improvements Mr. Jones, after taking possession of the same, erected one of the most comfortable farm houses in that part of the county. Mr. Jones has long given considerable attention to the raising of live stock and has done well. Of late years he has been living practically retired from the active labors of the farm, having turned the man- agement of the place over to his son, John Oscar Jones, who has been giving particular attention to the breeding of fine live stock.
On September 20, 1881. Lewis R. Jones was united in marriage to Emma St. John, who was born in Caesarscreek township, this county, a daughter of John W. and Phoebe Ann (Hiney) St. John, the former of whom is still living in that township and a biographical sketch of whom appears' elsewhere in this volume. To this union two children have been born. namely : John Oscar, who married Grace Peterson and, as noted above, is now operating his father's farm in Caesarscreek township. and Alma L., who married J. H. Hollingsworth and died at the age of thirty-one years,
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