USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 14
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Miss Irma Finley, who is now engaged in Young Women's Christian Association work, was graduated from Western College at Oxford, this state, and later taught for some time in the high school at Xenia, resigning her position there to take up the work of the Young Women's Christian As- sociation and is now engaged in that behalf at Atlanta, Georgia. Ethel Finley, who was graduated from Western College, at Oxford, married Lawrence Laudiger and is now living at St. Louis, Missouri, where her husband is engaged as a clerk in the office of the manager in the offices of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company there. The youngest daughter, Martha Finley, is now (1918), a student in the Xenia high school.
Dr. Kent Finley, only son of Doctor and Mrs. Finley, was graduated from the Xenia high school and then entered Wooster University. A year later he entered the Ohio State University and after a two-years course there entered Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia, from which institution he was graduated in June, 1916. Following a year of service as an interne
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in the Miami Valley Hospital at Dayton he returned home and in July, 1917, was taken into partnership with his father and is now practicing in Xenia. During his college course he was made a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. On June 23, 1917, Dr. Kent Finley was united in marriage to Florence Ganiard, of Jackson, Michigan.
CHARLES H. HACKETT.
Charles H. Hackett, postmaster at Yellow Springs and a former mer- chant at that place, was born on a farm in Miami township, this county, February 22. 1873, son of James and Ellen (Cavenaugh) Hackett, both of whom were born in Ireland, who were married at Springfield, this state, later coming down into Greene county and locating on a farm in the Cedarville neighborhood, where they both died, the latter in 1915 and the former in October, 1916.
James Hackett grew to manhood in his native Ireland and then came to this country, presently coming to Ohio and engaging in railroad work at Springfield. In that city he met and renewed his acquaintance with Ellen Cavenaugh, whom he had known in the old country and who had come to this country with her parents, the family locating in the vicinity of Spring- field, and the couple shortly afterward were married. Not long after his marriage James Hackett decided to give up railroad work and engaged in farming and with this end in view came down into Greene county and bought a farm in Miami township, in the vicinity of Cedarville, where he established his home and where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there, as noted above, in the fall of 1916. His wife died in 1915. She has a brother still living, now retired, in the city of London, Ohio. To James and Ellen (Cavenaugh) Hackett were born ten children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the sixth in order of birth, the others being the following: Richard, a farmer living in Xenia township, who is married and has two children; Thomas, deceased, as also is his wife, the two having left a son, John Hackett, who is now (1918) with the American Expeditionary Army in France; Margaret, wife of John Downey, a farmer living in the vicinity of Yellow Springs; Edward, a blacksmith, living at Yellow Springs ; Katherine, who married Michael Minnogue, living in the vicinity of Spring- field, and has seven children; John, deceased; William, now a resident of Dayton, who is married and has seven children; Joseph, living on the old home place in Miami township, who is married and has four children, and Harry, of Yellow Springs, who also is married and has four children.
Charles H. Hackett was reared on the home farm, but early decided on a mercantile career and upon completing his schooling in the high school
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he began working in the grocery store of A. H. White at Clifton. He was then nineteen years of age and for twelve years he continued that employ- ment, in that time gaining a very comprehensive knowledge of the grocery business. Upon the completion of that term of service Mr. Hackett bought the store from his employer and engaged in business on his own account. Two years later he sold that store and moved to Yellow Springs, where he bought the hardware store of George H. Smith and continued to operate that store until his appointment, two years later, in 1913, as postmaster of Yellow Springs, which office he ever since has occupied. Mr. Hackett is a Democrat and has long been recognized as one of the leaders of his party in the northern part of this county.
In the winter of 1902 Charles H. Hackett was united in marriage to Clemmie Gram, daughter of David L. and Katherine (Taylor) Gram, of Springfield, this state, and to this union two children have been born, Leo, born on August 12, 1905, and Kathleen, March 27, 1913. Mrs. Hackett has three brothers, John E., Grover and Homer Gram. Mr. and Mrs. Hackett are members of the Catholic church and take an interested part in local parish affairs.
JAMES S. McCAMPBELL, D. D. S.
Dr. James S. McCampbell, dentist at Xenia and former president of the Greene County Sabbath School Association, has lived in this state all his life, a resident of Greene county since he was eighteen years of age. He was born on a farm in Franklin county, January 1, 1853, son of Joseph and Mary Ann (Winget ) McCampbell, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Maryland, who became residents of Greene county in 1871 and here spent their last days.
Joseph McCampbell, who was born in Rockbridge county, Virginia. was but a lad when his parents, William and Elizabeth McCampbell, left that state with their family and came over into Ohio, locating on a farm in Sugarcreek township, this county, where Joseph McCampbell grew to manhood. As a young man the latter became employed on a farm south of Marysville, in Union county, and while living there married Mary Ann Winget, who was born in Maryland and who was but a girl when she came with her parents to Ohio. After his marriage Mr. McCampbell bought a farm in Franklin county and there made his residence until 1871, in which year he disposed of his interests there, came to Greene county and bought a farm on the Jamestown pike five miles east of Xenia, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. Joseph McCampbell died in 1888, at the age of seventy, and his widow survived him until 1892, being seventy (8)
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years of age at the time of her death. They were members of the United Presbyterian church and were the parents of nine children, one of whom died in infancy, the others being the following: William, who lives on a farm in Cedarville township, this county; Mrs. Jane Vanschoyk, now de- ceased, who lived in Franklin county; the Rev. Luther McCampbell, a United Presbyterian clergyman, now living in Pennsylvania; Elizabeth, who died in 1870; Dr. James S. McCampbell, the subject of this biographical sketch; John, who is still living on the home farm in Cedarville township; Martha (deceased), who was the wife of Nathan Ramsey; and Robert, who died on his farm in Cedarville township.
Dr. James S. McCampbell's boyhood was spent on the home farm in Franklin county and in the schools of that neighborhood he received his early schooling, having been eighteen years of age when he came with his parents to Greene county in 1871. After a further course of schooling, taken at Franklin College and at Wittenberg College, he entered the Ohio Dental College at Cincinnati and was graduated from that institution in 1877, in which year he opened an office for the practice of his profession at Xenia, where he ever since has been thus engaged. with present offices at 28 North Detroit street. The Doctor is a Republican and has given public service as a member of the Xenia school board.
On April 24, 1879, Dr. James S. McCampbell was united in marriage to Ella M. Herritt, who was born in Xenia, daughter of Andrew and Martha Herritt, both natives of Ireland, the former for years a tobacconist at Xenia, and to this union two children have been born, Mary, wife of the Rev. Robert C. Peters, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church at Patten, Pennsylvania, and Joseph A., who resides on and operates his farm in Xenia township and who married Elsie Harris, of Laporte county, Indiana, and has four chil- dren, Mary K., James Robert, Ruth Eleanor and John William. The McCampbells are members of the First United Presbyterian church at Xenia and Doctor McCampbell for some years was a niember of the session of his church, for twelve years was superintendent of the Sabbath school, is the present teacher of the Bible class in his Sabbath school and has for years taken an active part in the affairs of the Greene County Sabbath School Association, having served both as president and as secretary of that body.
WILLIAM THEODORE JACK.
William Theodore Jack, who years ago was well known in the build- ing trades at Xenia and who died at his home in that city in the fall of 1888, his widow still making her home there, was born at Waynesville, in the neighboring county of Warren, January 14, 1847, a son of Harrison and
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Elizabeth (Hart) Jack, whose last days were spent in that county. Harri- son Jack was a farmer and landowner and he and his wife were the parents of seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being as follows: Warren, who is living on the old home place in Warren county; Hiram, who is living in Florida; Charles, who is living at Dayton; Bruce, of Key West, Florida; Wilbur, deceased, and Amanda Frances, wife of Henry Dunham. of Lebanon, this state.
Reared on the home farm in Warren county, William T. Jack received his schooling in the Lebanon schools and remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when he began working at the carpenter trade with the building firm of Dreese & Thornhill at Xenia and continued thus engaged the rest of his life, his death occurring at his home in that city in October, 1888, he then being in the forty-second year of his age. Mr. Jack was an active worker in the Methodist Episcopal church, as is his widow.
On October 21, 1868, at Xenia, William T. Jack was united in marriage to Mary Emma Thornhill, who was born at Ripley, Brown county, this state, a daughter of George D. and Gertrude (Thienas) Thornhill, the former of whom was born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a son of John Thornhill and wife, the former a native of England, who came to this country in 1825 and located at Cincinnati. John Thornhill was a millwright and after he had located in Cincinnati he invented a new process for a sugar-mill and went to New Orleans to demonstrate the same. While there he was stricken with yellow fever and died. His widow spent the remainder of her life at Cincinnati. John Thornhill and wife were the parents of four children, George D., the only son, and three daughters, Matilda, Mary and Gertrude.
Having been bereft of a father's care when but a child, George D. Thornhill was early thrown upon his own resources and early learned the trade of a carpenter and builder and was ever afterward engaged in that line. At the age of twenty-one he married and located in Cincinnati, later returning to Brown county and moving thence after a while to Chillicothe, where he remained until 1863, in which year he located in Xenia, where he spent the rest of his life. Not long after his arrival in Xenia in 1863 Mr. Thornhill formed a partnership with Tobias Dreese and engaged in general building contracting, under the firm name of Dreese & Thornhill, and con- tinued thus engaged until his death, which occurred in 1894, he then being sixty-eight years of age. His widow, who survived him until 1915, was born in Germany and was but nine years of age when she came to this coun- try with her parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Thienas, the family settling in Indiana, on a farm in the vicinity of the city of Madison. Jacob Thienas and his wife there spent the remainder of their lives. Of their ten children,
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Mrs. Thornhill was the youngest, the others being Jacob, Peter, Nicholas, Kate, Susan, Lena, Anna, Lizzie and Margaret. Nicholas Thienas enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil War and was killed at the battle of Stone's River while fighting in behalf of the cause of his adopted country.
To William T. and Mary Emma (Thornhill) Jack were born five sons, namely : Harry Jack, storekeeper for the Hooven & Allison Company at Xenia, who married Elizabeth Ferree and has four children, Fern, Gertrude, Theodore and Frances; John, a bricklayer at Xenia, who married Cora Heaton and has eight children, Harrison and Walter (twins), Ruth, Emma, May, Gilbert, Elsie and Helen; Theodore, superintendent of Charities and Corrections at Cincinnati, who married Harriet Burton and has one child, a son, George Early; Oliver, a shoemaker, living at Xenia, who married Cassie McCabe and has seven children, Ernest, Fred, Edna, Ardis, Nichi- olas, Margaret and Sarah Jane; and Thornhill, also a shoemaker, who, makes his home with his mother in Xenia. Since the death of her husband Mrs. Jack has continued to make her home at Xenia, where she has lived since the days of her girlhood.
GEORGE W. SHEETS.
George W. Sheets, clerk of the court of common pleas of Greene county and one of the best-known young men in the city of Xenia, was born and reared in Warren county, this state, but has been a resident of Xenia for nearly twenty years. He was born on November 14, 1885, son of Stephen A. Douglas and Sarah Masters (Ferree) Sheets, both of whom also were born in Ohio, the former in Athens county and the latter in Clinton county, who are now living in Xenia, where they have made their home for about fifteen years.
Stephen A. Douglas Sheets was born on February 6, 1861, son of George and Mary Sheets, the former of whom was born in Virginia and the latter in Muskingum county, this state. George Sheets was sixteen years of age when he came to Ohio from his native Virginia and located at Chauncey, in Athens county, where he became employed in the salt works. He later became employed on the Hocking Valley railroad and was thus engaged when he met his death in a railway accident in 1869. His widow survived him for many years, her death occurring in 1903, she then being seventy-two years of age. George Sheets and wife were the parents of four children, of whom the father of the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being John, deceased; William, who is a farmer in the neighbor- ing county of Clinton, and Edward, deceased.
GEORGE W. SHEETS.
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After the death of her husband in 1869 the widow of George Sheets moved with her children to Midland City, in Clinton county, and there Stephen A. Douglas Sheets grew to manhood and married Sarah Masters Ferree, who was born in that county, daughter of James W. and Prudence (Garretson) Ferree, the former of whom was born in Maryland and the latter in Hamilton county, this state, not far from the city of Cincinnati. James W. Ferree was but a lad when he went from Maryland to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he learned the cooper's trade. He later came to Ohio, where he was married, and not long afterward bought a farm in Vernon township, Clinton county, and became a substantial farmer. His wife died in 1895, at the age of sixty-five, and he survived until 1898, he being sev- enty-three years of age at the time of his death. They were the parents of three children, of whom Mrs. Sheets is the youngest, the others being James WV., deceased, and Mrs. C. J. Mishrow, of Summerfield, Kansas. After his marriage Stephen A. D. Sheets continued working as a farmer in Clinton and Warren counties until 1903, in which year he moved to Xenia, where he has since been employed in the cordage works of the Hooven & Allison Company. He is a Republican. His wife is a member of the Lutheran church. They have nine children, all of whom are at home save the subject of this sketch, the second in order of birth, the others being Francis Edward, Florence E., Jesse, Bessie, Harry, Bertha, Ralphi and Everett.
Reared in Warren county, George W. Sheets received his schooling in the schools of that county and afterward went to work for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and was engaged working for that company as a railroad brakeman until he met with an accident which deprived him of both of his legs four years later ; a deprivation, however, which does not prevent him from walking about, for by means of modern appliances he is able to walk with about as much apparent ease as most of men. After he was able to get about again Mr. Sheets opened a barber shop in Xenia and in connec- tion with the same also started a retail and wholesale cigar and tobacco business, in the meantime giving such leisure as he could command to study in order to qualify himself for clerical labors. Mr. Sheets is a man of en- gaging manners and a "good mixer" and in 1912 he sought the Republican nomination for the office of clerk of the common pleas court. He put up a good race, but was defeated in the primaries. The experience gained in this initial race proved valuable in the succeeding campaign and in 1916 he was nominated and elected clerk of court, his four-year term of office to begin in August, 1917. On February 5, 1917, however, he was appointed clerk of court to fill the unexpired term of J. Carl Marshall, who had resigned to enter upon his duties as judge of the probate court, and has since then been serving as clerk of court.
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On June 24, 1908, George W. Sheets was united in marriage to Clara Denningham, who was born in Xenia, and to this union have been born three children, Winifred, Marjorie and Paul. Mr. and Mrs. Sheets have a pleasant home in Xenia.
CHARLES C. HENRIE.
Charles C. Henrie, formerly proprietor of a tinshop in West Main street, Xenia, now operated by his son, Clement B. Henrie, has lived in this state all his life, a resident of Xenia practically all of the time since he was nine years of age, he having been sent at that time to complete his schooling in the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home in that city, his mother, the widow of a soldier of the Union, having died in 1872. He was born on a farm in the neighborhood of Fredericktown, in Knox county, this state, October 29, 1863, son of Samuel and Harriet ( Baxter) Henri, both of whom were born near Bellville, in that same county, both members of old families, the Baxters in particular having been residents there since pioneer days. Samuel Henrie was the owner of a small farm. During the progress of the Civil War he enlisted as a member of Company H, One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command until he met a soldier's death, being killed in battle near Chattanooga, Tennessee, when not yet thirty years of age. His widow did not remarry and died in 1872, leaving two sons, the subject of this sketch having a brother, four years the elder, Waldon Henrie, who is now a clerk in a railroad office at St. Louis, Missouri.
In conformance with the dying request of his mother, Charles C. Henrie, then nine years of age, was sent to the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Home at Xenia, following his mother's death, and there he remained until he was sixteen years of age, completing his schooling and being trained to the trade of a tinsmith; receiving instructions there for which he ever has acknowledged a debt of gratitude to that admirable institution. In 1879, he then being sixteen years of age, young Henri received his "honorable dis- charge" from the state school and returned to Fredericktown, where he be- came employed in the tinshop of Charles Edwards. Six months later he went to Mansfield and was there employed in the tinshop of Blymyer Brothers for eighteen months, at the end of which time he returned to Xenia and in 1882 became employed in the Flemming tinshop. Two years later that concern was sold to Wolf & Peterson and Mr. Henri continued working for the latter firm until January 1, 1888, when he started in busi-
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ness for himself, opening a tinshop of his own in Xenia and engaging in the general sheet-metal and heating business. His first plant was on South Detroit street, but in 1895 he moved his shop and plant to 52 West Main street, where it ever since has been maintained, and there he carried on his business until in April. 1916, when he sold the plant to his son, Clement B. Henrie, and retired from business. Some years ago Mr. Henrie bought and remodeled a dwelling house at 25 West Church street and there he and his wife reside. Since Mr. Henrie's retirement he and his wife have trav- eled quite a bit and he finds relaxation and enjoyment in keeping up his own with his cronies of the redoubtable quoits team with which he has long been connected. In addition to his long established business connection in West Main street Mr. Henrie has given some attention to other local busi- ness enterprises, was one of the charter stockholders of the Shawnee Re- frigeration Company of Xenia and was secretary and treasurer of the same until his retirement and resignation from that office in 1916. He is a mem- ber of the local camp of the Sons of Veterans, a Mason, a member of the local lodge of the Royal Arcanum and of the Knights of Pythias and he and his wife are members of the local chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star.
On December 15, 1884, at Mansfield, this state, Charles C. Henrie was united in marriage to Minnie Johnston, who was born at Mansfield, a daugh- ter of Frank and Almira (Sloan) Johnston, the latter of whom also was born at Mansfield and both of whom are now deceased. Frank Johnston was born at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was but a hoy when the scene of his activities was changed to Mansfield. There he married and spent the rest of his life. He was a harness-maker and owned a shop of his own. He died in 1880, at the age of forty-four years, leaving his widow with two children, Mrs. Henrie having had a brother, Frank Johnston, who died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in February, 1917. The widow Johnston married Henry Martin, of Columbus, Ohio, who is still living in that city. She died on January 22, 1910, at the age of sixty-eight years.
To Charles C. and Minnie (Johnston) Henrie three children have been born, namely : Marguerite, born on October 28, 1885, who married Dr. Ralph John, now living at Baltimore, Maryland, and has one child, a son, Henrie Edgar, born on August 9, 1909; Clement B., September 9, 1887, now owner of his father's old business in West Main street, having bought the same in 1916, and who married Clara Hudson and has two sons, Charles, born on his grandfather Henrie's birthday, October 29, 1907, and Homer Hudson, August 31, 1909; and Harriet, August 2, 1890, who is now ( 1918) taking the course in the Palmer School of Chiropractic at Davenport, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Henrie are members of the First Presbyterian church at Xenia.
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RALPH M. NEELD.
Ralph M. Neeld, undertaker and funeral director at Xenia, is a native son of Greene county and has lived here all his life, a resident of Xenia since he was thirteen years of age. He was born in the village of Spring Valley, December 25, 1881, son of William M. and Margaret E. (St. John) Neeld, both members of old families in this county and the latter of whom is still living, a resident of Xenia since 1893.
William M. Neeld was born in Spring Valley on August 10, 1849, son of Jason M. and Susanna (Allen) Neeld, the latter of whom was born on April 2, 1818, in Spring Valley township, this county, a daughter of Benja- min and Rebecca (Campbell) Allen, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of South Carolina, who were early settlers in the Spring Valley neigh- borhood. Jason M. Neeld was born in Bucks county, Pennsylvania, July 7, 1818, and in the fall of 1839 came to Ohio and settled at Spring Valley, where he became engaged at his trade as a shoemaker and where he pres- ently married and established his home. continuing thus engaged in busi- ness there for the rest of his life. He was a Democrat and for some time filled the office of township treasurer. He and his wife were the parents of three children, William M., Benjamin F. and Mary E., the latter of whom died at the age of thirty years.
Reared at Spring Valley, William M. Neeld grew up familiar with the details of his father's business and after a while took charge of the shoe shop and after the death of his father continued the business and extended the same by putting in a general stock of boots and shoes and remained in that business at Spring Valley until 1886, when he sold his store and engaged in the undertaking business in the village. In 1893 he moved his establish- ment to Xenia and engaged in the undertaking business in that city, his estab- lishment being located at 44 West Main street, where he continued in busi- ness until his death and where his son, the subject of this sketch, has since carried on the business. William M. Neeld was a Democrat and at one time was the nominee of his party for the office of mayor of Xenia. On the face of the returns his party claimed his election, but the other side secured a recount and he was thus defeated for the office. Mr. Neeld made judicious investments outside of his business and came to be accounted one of the substantial business men of Xenia. He died on September 23, 1916, and his widow is still living in Xenia. She was born, Margaret E. St. John, in Cæsarscreek township, this county, in June, 1859, daughter of William and Martha (Smith) St. John, the former of whom was the son of Daniel and Eliza (Bone) St. John, the former of whom was the eldest of the nine children born to John and Rhoda (Wood) St. John, John St. John having been the fourth in order of birth of the ten children born to John and Anna (Lockwood) St. John, who were married in Dutchess county, New York, in
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