USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 19
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On October 26, 1904, J. A. Chew was united in marriage to Jessie R. Baker, who also was born at Xenia, daughter of W. R. Baker, further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume, and to this tinion two children have been born, Florence B., born on May 19, 1907, and Anna Katherine, April 22, 1915.
J. A. CHEW.
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GREENE COUNTY, OHIO
HARRY E. RICE.
Harry E. Rice, editor and publisher of the Xenia Herald and Democrat- News and for more than two years postmaster at Xenia, is a native son of Ohio and has lived in this state all his life. He was born in the village of South Vienna, in the neighboring county of Clark, January 20, 1869, son of James S. and Angie (Busbey) Rice, both of whom are still living at South Vienna, the former now being past seventy-eight years of age and the latter, past seventy-three.
James S. Rice, who is a veteran of the Civil War, also was born in Clark county, a member of one of the pioneer families of this part of the state, and was living there when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted in behalf of the Union cause and went to the front as a member of the Elev- enth Ohio Cavalry in which he rose to the rank of lieutenant. During the greater portion of this period of service he was stationed with his command at Ft. Laramie, Wyoming, and while there had many brushes and engage- ments with the Indians. Upon the completion of his military service he re- turned to his home in Clark county and became engaged in the milling busi- ness at South Vienna and was thus engaged at that place until his retirement from active labors. Mr. Rice also is the owner of a fine farm lying adjacent to South Vienna. He is a member of the local post of the Grand Army of · the Republic. His parents, Asahel and Orassa (Sprague) Rice, were New Englanders who came to Ohio and located in Clark county, settling six miles east of Springfield. Asahel Rice was a building contractor and many of the fine old brick houses which still stand in Clark county were erected by him. He had a country place east of Springfield. To James S. Rice and wife were born two sons, the subject of this sketch having had a brother, Charles S., who died in childhood, and one daughter, Mrs. Carlton Henry, of Platts- burg, Ohio.
Mrs. Rice, mother of Postmaster Rice, is a member of the noted Busbey family of Clark county, eighth in order of birth of the eleven children born to Thomas C. and Ann (Botkin) Busbey, who came to Ohio from New England and located at South Vienna, in Clark county, where for years Thomas C. Busbey was engaged in teaching school. He and his wife also for some time conducted a hotel at South Vienna. Two of the eleven chil- dren born to him and his wife died in youth and eight of the surviving chil- dren followed their father's footsteps and made their start in life by teach- ing school. Of the five sons who lived all became journalists. The eldest of these sons, the late William H. Busbey, taught school for a while and began his journalistic career as a reporter on the Ohio State. Journal at Columbus, in 1865. From there he went to Toledo and after some further
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newspaper experience in that city went to Chicago, where he became engaged as an editorial writer for the Inter Ocean, later becoming managing editor of that paper and later editor-in-chief, serving with the Inter Ocean until his death, a period of service covering thirty-five years. The next son, Hamil- ton Busbey, served as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War and after receiving his discharge from the army began working in the editorial de- partment of the Louisville Courier, and while there became thoroughly qualified as a writer on matters relating to horses and the turf in general, later going to New York City, where he became a part owner and publisher of Turf, Field and Farm. During this period of his editorial activities Ham- ilton Busbey wrote a number of books and came to be recognized as an authority on the light-harness horse. Hamilton Busbey married a daughter of Governor Robinson, war governor of Kentucky, and at the time of the funeral of Abraham Lincoln he represented Kentucky in that solemn cortege. The next son, L. White Busbey, now an editorial writer on the Washing- ton Herald, is best known throughout the country as the private secretary to "Uncle Joe" Cannon during the latter's incumbency as speaker of the national House of Representatives and as House parliamentarian during that incumbency. He began his career as a journalist on the Chicago Inter Ocean, later was made that paper's correspondent at Washington and while thus engaged became employed as Congressman Cannon's secretary, after which term of service he resumed newspaper work at the capital and has since been thus engaged there. Charles Sumner Busbey, the next son, also went to Chicago and was for years there engaged as associate editor of the Railway Review. He is now a member of the board of local improvements of that city, with headquarters in the city hall. The Hon. Thomas Addison Busbey, present senator from the eleventh Ohio senatorial district and now living retired at South Vierma after twenty-five years of continuous con- nection with the Railway Age at Chicago, went to Chicago in the spring of 1883 and there secured employment on the editorial staff of the Railway Age. He gradually advanced until he became the managing editor of the journal, becoming recognized throughout the country as an authority on subjects relating to transportation, legislation affecting the same and labor questions. Daniel Webster Busbey, the sixth son of this family, went to the front as a soldier of the Union during the Civil War and died at Nashville, Tennessee, while acting as provost marshal of that city. Henry Clay Bushey. the next son, died in infancy. The eldest daughter of the Busbey family is Mr. Rice's mother. The next daughter, Mrs. Lou M. Neer, is deceased; Mrs. Theodore Postle is living at Columbus, this state, and Miss Hattie Busbey is living at the old home.
Harry E. Rice was reared in a "bookish" atmosphere and the schooling
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received in the South Vienna schools was supplemented by the instructions he received at home. As a boy he took part in the local literary societies and debating contests carried on in connection with the village school and when fourteen years of age successfully passed the examination entitling him to a license to teach school, but he was so small the school trustee would not hire him. For three years he worked about his father's saw-mill and then, stim- ulated by the course his uncles had taken, decided to "break into the news- paper game." With this end in view he secured a position on the Springfield Republic, three months later going from that paper to the Springfield Daily Gazette and thence, after a while, to the Champion City Times and was con- nected with the latter paper when the Springfield Daily Democrat was launched in 1888. He accepted a position as a reporter on the new paper and gradually advanced his connection with that paper, becoming successively city editor, managing editor and then owner of the paper, and continued its publication until he sold the same in 1905 to. James M. Cox, now governor of the state of Ohio. During his connection with the Democrat Mr. Rice organized and for some time 'operated the Rice News Bureau. He was for" years a member of the Clark county Democratic executive committee and while at Springfield also served for six years as a member of the city board of health. During his residence at South Vienna he served for some time as captain of Harry Whittaker Camp of the Sons of Veterans and was also captain of a military company organized by that camp.
In 1906, not long after he sold the Springfield Democrat, Mr. Rice bought the Xenia Herald and Democrat-News, a once-a-week paper of gen- eral circulation throughout the sixth congressional district, and has ever since been directing the destinies of that newspaper, the Herald's editorial col- umns maintaining the principles of the Democratic party. During the first Wilson administration it was generally understood in informed political circles that "Mr.""Rice was" "stated" "for appointment to the post of United States minister to Portugal, but President Wilson had another appointee in mind and the Xenia editor's friends were disappointed in their expectations regarding Mr. Rice's reward for his long and unselfish labors in behalf of the party. A measure of reward came later, however, for on January 12, 1916, Mr. Rice received his commission as postmaster at Xenia and he has since occupied that position. Besides being a writer of forceful newspaper Eng- lish, Mr. Rice has written considerable along more enduring lines, his notable book, "Eve and the Evangelist," published in 1908, having attracted wide attention and extensive newspaper comment. Mr. Rice also is possessed of a fine artistic taste and in other days did considerable toward developing his marked artistic talents, some of the oil paintings of bits of familiar scenery executed by him during the days of his boyhood displaying a promise of
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ability along that line which his friends regret he did not further cultivate. When fourteen years of age he delighted his family and friends by writing frequent bits of poetry and numerous. short stories came from his ready pen in the days of his young manhood. He has an unpublished novel which his friends would like to see come out some day. In 1902 Mr. Rice undertook the ambitious project of writing a book under the title of "World Peace," in which he sought to set out the expressions of every ruler in the world along that line, but inquiries to that end failed to elicit any response from either the kaiser or the czar and he perforce was compelled to abandon the undertaking. In addition to his newspaper and other interests Mr. Rice is vice-president of the Springfield Theater Company, proprietors of the Coluni- bia Theater at Springfield. He is a member of the Benevolent and Protec- tive Order of Elks.
On June 10, 1895, Harry E. Rice was united in marriage to May King, who was born at Plymouth, this state, daughter of David B. and Nora (Hoffman) King, the former of whom, a Scottish Rite Mason, is still living, proprietor of a general store at Plymouth, and to this union three sons have been born, namely: Robert K., a former midshipman in the United States navy and now a quartermaster in the Naval Reserves; Harry E., Jr., who after his graduation from the Springfield high school spent a year in Witten- berg College and in June, 1917, entered the United States Naval Academy as the "middy" appointee from this district, and David Busbey, who is a student in the Springfield high school. Mrs. Rice was graduated from Harcourt Place at Gambier, this state, and completed her schooling in Germany, where she took art and languages.
MARY H. BANKERD.
Miss Mary H. Bankerd, superintendent of the Greene County Children's. Home and one of the best authorities on eleemosynary work in this part of Ohio, was born in this county, has lived here all her life and is thus thoroughly familiar with conditions hereabout, particularly in so far as these conditions relate to the noble humanitarian labors in which she has been engaged for years. her service in that connection having been begun during the time her late father was serving as superintendent of the county infirmary. Miss Bankerd was born at Xenia, daughter of Henry C. and Catherine (Manor) Bankerd, the latter of whom, a member of one of Greene county's old families, is still living.
The late Henry C. Bankerd, a veteran of the Civil War and for many years one of Greene county's best-known and inost useful citizens, was a native of Maryland, born in the city of Baltimore on September 17, 1846, son of
HENRY C. BANKERD.
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Peter and Hannah (Greiner) Bankerd, the former of whom was born in Morgan county, Virginia, in 1816, and the latter in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1818. Peter Bankerd was a glass blower, and his son, Henry C., was trained in the same art. When the latter was but a boy the Bankerds moved from Baltimore to Lenox, Massachusetts, and there remained until 1863, when the elder Bankerd disposed of his interests in the East and came with his family to Ohio, buying a farm one mile northwest of Xenia with the expectation of turning his attention permanently to farming, but a year later he returned to Lenox, where he resumed his vocation as a glass blower and where he remained until 1866, in which year he accepted the position of manager of the DePauw glass works at New Albany, Indiana, and removed to that city. A year later, however, he returned to Xenia and re-estab- lished his home on his farm in the vicinity of that city and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, both living to ripe old age. Peter Bankerd and wife were the parents of four children, the late Henry C. Bankerd having had three sisters, Margaret, who married D. S. Heath and is now living in Missouri; Mary, wife of John C. Andrew of Xenia, and Georgia, wife of Joseph S. Wade, of Xenia township.
Having been but a child when his parents moved from Baltimore to Lenox, Henry C. Bankerd received his schooling in the latter city and under the direction of his father became a skilled glass blower. He was not yet seventeen years of age when he came with his parents to Greene county in 1863, but in the following February, he then still being under eighteen years of age, he enlisted for service as a soldier of the Union and went to the front as a member of Company D, One Hundred and Eighty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which command he served, principally engaged in garrison duty in towns taken by the Union forces in Georgia, until the termi- nation of his term of enlistment and was mustered out of service at Nash- ville, Tennessee, in February, 1865. Upon the completion of his military service Mr. Bankerd rejoined his parents in Lenox and with them presently moved to New Albany, Indiana, where he was engaged in the glass works until the family returned to this county, when he became associated with his father in the operation of the home farm on the outskirts of the city of Xenia, after his marriage in 1867 establishing his home there. In 1896 Mr. Bankerd was appointed to the position of superintendent of the Greene county infirmary and for years rendered useful service in that connection. After his retire- ment he continued to make his home in this county and here he spent his last days, his death occurring on December 27, 1914, he then being sixty- eight years of age. Mr. Bankerd was a Republican. He was an active member of Lewis Post No. 347, Grand Army of the Republic, and had filled all the offices in that patriotic organization. He also had filled all the offices
(II)
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in the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the local encampment of the Patriarchs Militant. As noted above, Mr. Bankerd was married in 1867. To him and his wife were born five children, namely : Rosa, who died at the age of eleven years; Esther, who is still living at Xenia, widow of Parker J. Wilson: Mary H., the immediate subject of this bio- graphical review; Peter C., who married Belle McCarty and is still residing on the home place in Xenia township, and Myrtle, wife of Charles Faulkner, of Columbus, this state. The mother of these children is still living. She was born in Xenia, Catherine Manor, daughter of John W. and Margaret A. (Scott) Manor, the latter of whom also was born in this county, daughter of James A. and Elizabeth (Shannon) Scott, who were married in Penn- sylvania and who in 1815 established their home on a farm in Xenia town- ship, this county, remaining there until 1827, when they took up their resi- dence in Xenia, where they spent the remainder of their lives, James A. Scott dying there on August 12, 1881, and his widow, October 24, of that same year.
John W. Manor was a Virginian, born in the vicinity of the city of Winchester, in Frederick county, August 24, 1824, son of Benjamin and Catherine (Marsh) Manor, both of whom also were born in the Old Dominion and who in 1828 drove through to Ohio with their family of eight sons and three daughters and located in a house on Main street in Xenia, where they remained until March of the next year, when they established their home on a farm just east of town on the Dayton pike. There Benjamin Manor and his wife spent the rest of their lives, the former dying in 1860, he then being seventy-two years of age. His widow survived him for four- teen years, her death occurring in 1874, she then being eighty-six years of ago. Another child was born to them after they took up their residence in this county and they thus were the parents of twelve children, of whom eight grew to maturity and reared families of their own, the Manor connection in the present generation hence being a numerous one. John W. Manor was but four years of age when his parents came to this county and here he grew to manhood. He early learned the trade of carpenter and in time became one of the leading building contractors in the county, making his home in Xenia. He was a Republican, for some time served as chairman of the Greene county Republican central committee, served a term as cor- oner of Greene county, was for years a member of the board of directors of the county infirmary and for nearly ten years served as superintendent of the infirmary. Mr. Manor was a member of the Reformed church and, fraternally, was affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and with the encampment of that order. On June 12, 1844, John W. Manor married Margaret A. Scott, mention of whose parentage is made above. T
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that union were born nine children, all of whom grew to maturity, those besides Mrs. Bankerd being David T., William A., Samuel H., Asbury L., Nettie, Benjamin L., James S. and John E. The father of these children died at his home in Xenia on December 12, 1897, and his widow survived him until August, 1906.
Mary H. Bankerd received her schooling in the Xenia schools and upon leaving school became engaged as a clerk in a commercial establishment in that city. During the period of her father's connection with the county infirmary as superintendent of that institution she acted as housekeeper for the institution and in this manner early became familiar with the details of institutional administration and at the same time developed a strong sym- pathetic interest in behalf of the less helpful of the county's charges. When Miss Bankerd later was made matron of the Greene County Children's Home this sympathetic interest was displayed in countless helpful ways in behalf of the little charges who thus came under her care and she did much to elevate the standard of administrative efficiency that marked the manage- ment of that institution. She did much to promote the plans for the erection of the new and beautiful home for children just west of the city, and on September 16, 1912, was made superintendent of the Home, a position she has since filled, her thoughtful and intelligent attention being given to the welfare of the youthful charges under her sympathetic care. Greene county is fortunate in having one of the best and most prudently managed Children's Homes in the state and it is a source of much satisfaction to the people of the county to know that the administration of the affairs of the Home is in such capable and experienced hands, Miss Bankerd having for years devoted her energies unceasingly and tirelessly to the important administrative duties that thus became incumbent upon her. Miss Bankerd is a member of the Presbyterian church at Xenia, a member of the local corps of the Woman's Relief Corps, a member of the local lodge of the Daughters of Rebekah, and a member of the Daughters of Veterans.
FREDERICK HEILMAN, D. C.
Dr. Frederick Heilman, chiropractor, with offices at Xenia and James- town, was born in the city of Dayton, in the neighboring county of Mont- gomery, June 20, 1879, son of John and Sophia ( Heffner) Heilman, the lat- ter of whom was born in that same city and both of whom are still living there.
John Heilman is a native of Germany, born in 1852, but was only six months of age when his parents came to this country with their family, locat- ing near the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he grew to manhood on
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a farm and learned the trade of miller. In the days of his young manhood- he came to Ohio and became engaged in a mill at Dayton, later becoming bookkeeper for the Bimm Grocery Company, a position which he occupied for twenty years, at the end of which time he became engaged in the mill- ing business on his own account. At present Mr. Heilman is serving as sec- retary of the Adam Schantz estate and as superintendent of the buildings belonging to that estate. Some time after locating at Dayton, John Heilman married Sophia Heffner, who was born in that city in 1858, and to this union were born three children, of whom Doctor Heilman is the eldest, the others being Walter Heilman, who is married and is living at Dayton, and Grace May, widow of Asa F. Hague.
Frederick Heilman received his schooling in the schools of Dayton and carly became engaged with his father in business in that city, later, about 1902, taking employment with the Davis Sewing Machine Company in that city, with which concern he remained for ten years, at the end of which time he transferred his services to the National Cash Register Company at Dayton and was thus engaged for four years, or until 1916, when he entered the Universal Chiropractic College at Davenport, Iowa, from which institution he was graduated on July 12, 1917. Upon receiving his diploma Doctor Heilman returned to Ohio and opened an office for the practice of his pro- fession in the Kingsbury building on Detroit street, Xenia. In addition to this office, Doctor Heilman maintains an office at Jamestown and divides liis time between the two offices, the only doctor of chiropractic in Greene county. The Doctor is a member of the Reformed church and fraternally is affiliated with the local lodge of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics. By political inclination he is an independent voter.
JOHN R. NASH.
Though now in the ninetieth year of his age, John R. Nash, one of the real "old-timers" of Greene county and a substantial retired farmer living on his old home place in Xenia township, on rural route No. 8 out of Xenia, where he has made his home for nearly sixty years, is a remarkably well preserved old gentleman, retaining his faculties in an astonishing degree for one of his years, his memory clear and distinct, his sight so clear that he is still able to read without glasses and his hearing practically unimpaired. Mr. Nash was born in Greene county and during the long period that has elapsed since he began to retain a recollection of events. he has been a wit- ness to some amazing developments in the manner of living and is able to tell many interesting stories of the days of the earlier settlers in the county.
John R. Nash was born in a little log stable on a farm two miles south
JOHN R. NASH.
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of Cedarville, in this county, May 25, 1828, and was cradeled in a sugar trough hewed out of a log. His parents, Hugh and Rebecca (Graham) Nash, · were members of two of the early families to settle in this part of the county. Hugh Nash having been a son of Nathan and Polly (Ward) Nash, who drove through with their family from Washington county, Pennsylvania, and set- tled in Greene county about the time the county became organized as a civic unit and here established their home. They later moved to Licking county and settled on a farm in the vicinity of Newark, where they spent the remain- der of their lives. They were the parents of ten children, William, James, Thomas, Hugh, John, Nathan, Sarah, Margaret, Nancy and Maria. The family was very poor in world's goods and it is a matter of tradition in the family that it was not uncommon for the children to have to go barefooted even after snow had fallen. Hugh Nash grew up in this county and lived here continuously save for a couple of years spent in Warren county, Illinois. Upon his return from there he settled in Xenia township and there spent his last days, his death occurring at the age of sixty-five years. His widow survived him for years, she having been eighty-there years of age at the time of her death. They were members of the Associate Reformed church, but after the union of that church and the Associate church became affiliated with the United Presbyterian church. Hugh Nash was originally a Whig, but upon the formation of the Republican party became affiliated with the latter party. He and his wife had two children, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Mary, widow of John Miller, of Columbus, Ohio.
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