USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 21
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Reared on the home farm, David S. Harner was living there when the Civil War broke out. He enlisted his services in behalf of the Union, but was rejected on account of a disability due to having broken one of his legs some time before. He therefore was compelled to stay at home, "doing his bit" not only by carrying on the operations of the home farm, but by harvesting the crops of several of his neighbors who were at the front, on one occasion driving a reaper for eleven days continuously, hands bringing on fresh horses to keep the old reaper going in order that the harvest inight not be interrupted. After his marriage in the fall of 1865, Mr. Harner bought the farm that is now being operated by his son-in-law, Mr. Laurens,
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part of which lies in Beavercreek township and part in Xenia township, and there he made his home until his retirement from the farm in 1909 and re- moval to Xenia, where he and his wife are now living, Mr. Harner having built a house on the Fairground road just at the edge of the city. Mr. Harner is a Republican and he and his wife are members of the Reformed church at Xenia. Mrs. Harner also was born in this county, in the vicinity of Clifton, in Miami township, a daughter of Andrew and Mary (Long) Wall, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Vir- ginia. Mr. and Mrs. Harner have three children, Mrs. Laurens having a brother, Kasper, who is living on a farm in Xenia township, and a sister, Mary, wife of P. C. James, a grocer in Xenia.
JOHN W. ANDERSON.
Jolın W. Anderson, retired farmer and building contractor living at Xenia, was born on a farm three miles south of Xenia on May 27, 1852, a son of Thomas Maxey and Mary Jane (Stansfield) Anderson, both of whom also were born in this county. Thomas Maxey Anderson was a son of Daniel Anderson and wife, the latter of whom was a Dinsmore, who came to Greene county from Virginia and settled in Xenia township, where they spent the remainder of their lives. Reared on the farm on which he was born, in Xenia township, south of town, Thomas M. Anderson after his marriage continued to make his home on the home place, caring for his parents in their declining years. He was a Republican and for some time director of his local school district. He and his wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He lived to the age of seventy-two years and his wife died at the age of sixty-eight. They were the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third in order of birth, the others being Charles, deceased; Clara, deceased; Florence, who is living in Delaware county, Indiana, and who has been twice married, her first husband having been Henry Jones and her second, John Childers; Sarah Catherine, wife of James R. Stafford, also of Delaware county, Indiana ; Amos Edgar, who is living on and farming a part of the old home place south of Xenia : Ida, wife of Byron Adams, a farmer of the Spring Valley neighborhood; Horace, who is living on' and farming a part of the old home place, and Harvey, who is engaged in the oil business at Cedarville.
Reared on the home farm south of Xenia, John W. Anderson received his schooling in the district school of that neighborhood and early learned the carpenter trade, in time becoming a building contractor, a vocation he followed for twenty years. He remained at home until he was thirty years of age, when he bought a farm of his own and for five years was engaged
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in farming, but later rented the farm, giving his attention to his building operations. Some years ago he sold his farm and moved to Xenia, where he has since lived practically retired, though still occasionally accepting a contract for building.
Mr. Anderson has been thrice married. His first wife was Anna Buchanan, of Clermont county, this state, who died without issue. Mr. Anderson later married Mary R. Sanders, who was born in this county, daughter of Jesse Sanders and wife, the latter of whom was an Allen, and to that union was born one child, who, as well as the mother is now dead, the latter having died on January 21, 1917. On January 22, 1918, at Nor- wood, Ohio, Mr. Anderson married Mrs. Valura (Schooley) English, a widow, who was born in Clermont county, Ohio, a daughter of Eli and Susan Jane Schooley, both now deceased. Mr. Anderson is a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal church.
LYMAN MORSE GARFIELD.
Lyman Morse Garfield, who for forty-four years was actively con- nected with the operations of the great powder mills at Goes Station, in this county, and from 1875 to 1918 superintendent of the mills and still connected with the company as a stockholder, but who is now living retired at his home near Xenia, is a native of Massachusetts, but has been a resident of Ohio and of Greene county since 1873. He was born in the town of Concord, Massachusetts, July 25, 1849, son of Moses B. and Lydia (Morse) Garfield, both of whom were born in that same state, members of old Colonial fami- lies, and the latter of whom spent her last days in Xenia.
Moses B. Garfield was born in Concord, Massachusetts, in 1818, son of Daniel Garfield and wife. The Garfields are an old family in Massachusetts, the first of the name there having settled in Weston back in Colonial days. Moses B. Garfield was early trained to the trade of harness making, but when thirty years of age he took up sign painting and thereafter followed that vocation, making his home in various towns in Massachusetts. He died in June, 1895, and his widow afterward made her home with her son at Xenia, where she died in 1912, she then being eighty-six years of age. She was born, Lydia Morse, at Marlboro, Massachusetts, a daughter of Lyman and Lydia (Brigham) Morse, the former of whom died of cholera during the great scourge of 1849. The Morses also are an old family in New England and had their origin there in three brothers who came over from Ireland in Colonial days, establishing a family connection which has been widely influen- tial on this side, one of the notable descendants of this line having been Samuel F. B. Morse, the inventor of the electric telegraph. Mrs. Garfield was a member of the Christian Union church. She and her husband were the
LYMAN M. GARFIELD.
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parents of two sons, the subject of this sketch having had a brother, Moses Howell Garfield, born in 1846, who was for years superintendent of the mills of the American Powder Company in Massachusetts and who died in 1906.
Lyman M. Garfield was but a child when his parents moved from Con- cord to Lawrence, Massachusetts, and his schooling was completed in the schools of the latter city. When thirteen years of age he was placed to learn the trade of shoemaker and was thus engaged for two years. In the meantime the Civil War had broken out and he presently, in 1864, secured a position, though but fifteen years of age, in the commissary department and during the years 1864 and 1865 was stationed in that service at Camp Douglas, near Chicago, where Confederate prisoners were interned. Upon the completion of this service he returned home and his father by that time having moved to Boston, he became engaged with his father in the latter's sign-painting establishment in Union street in that city. While in Boston Mr. Garfield learned the art of telegraphy and in 1873, about two years after his marriage, came to Greene county with A. O. Fay, proprietor of the plant of the Miami Powder Company at Goes, and was installed as telegrapher for the company at that point. Two years later, in 1875, he was made super- intendent of the powder-mills, and when the Miami Powder Company sold the plant to the Aetna Explosives Company in December, 1914, was retained in that position, continuing his service as superintendent of the plant until his retirement in January, 1918. Not long after becoming thus connected with the powder plant Mr. Garfield became a stockholder in the concern and has ever since retained that interest. Years ago he was elected a member of the board of directors of the company and for many years was one of the most forceful figures in the operation of the great plant which has grown up at Goes and which is the practical support and stay of that village. It is inter- esting to note that there is but one other person still connected with the powder-mills who was there when Mr. Garfield became connected with the works in 1873. Mr. Garfield has a pleasant home on the Springfield pike, just out of Xenia, and he and his wife are very comfortably situated there in the days of their retirement. They are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church at Xenia and for fifteen years Mr. Garfield has been serving as treas- urer of the congregation. He is a Mason and a member of the local lodge of the Royal Arcanum.
On December 14, 1871, at Boston, Lyman M. Garfield was united in marriage to Maria Louise Hawes, who was born in that city, daughter of E. W. W. and Diantha (Smith) Hawes, the former of whom, a stairbuilder, died in 1875; the latter surviving him for many years, her death occurring in 1905. To Mr. and Mrs. Garfield seven children have been born, namely : Adelaide Isabel, wife of Clarence Whitmer, of Chicago; Ella C., wife of (12)
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Walter Curry, of Xenia : Lillian Marie, who married Fred Moore and is also living at Xenia ; Fannie Gertrude, wife of E. S. Davidson, of Xenia; Arthar L., also of Xenia, secretary of the Bartlett-King Company ; Ethel, who died in 1884, and Howell, who died on April 13, 1909, at the age of seventeen years.
FRANK W. WALKER.
Frank W. Walker, former director of public safety for the city of Xenia, former township treasurer and formerly and for years connected with the passenger department of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Rail- road Company and now and for nearly twenty years past engaged in the coal business at Xenia, was born on a farm in Caesarscreek township, this county, on August 21, 1867, son of Mordecai and Deborah (Painter ) Walker, both now deceased.
Mordecai Walker was born in the neighboring county of Clinton and was but ten or twelve years of age when his parents moved up into Greene county, where he spent the rest of his life. Here he married Deborah Painter, who was born in Caesarscreek township, and after his marriage established his home on a farm in that township and continued to reside there until his death in June, 1888. He and his wife were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch having a brother, Alpheus D. Walker, born in 1872, now living at Jamestown, a traveling salesman, who married Belle Ireland and has three children, Clarence, Mabel and Hazel, and a sister, Grace, who married Clyde Lemmons, a Clinton county farmer, and has three children.
Frank W. Walker was reared on the home farm in Caesarscreek town- ship, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and remained at home until he was twenty years of age, when he became employed as a traveling passenger agent for the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad Company. He married when twenty-one years of age and continued his connection with the railroad company for ten or twelve years, or until 1900, when he became engaged in the coal business at Xenia. In connection with this business Mr. Walker two years ago established a local motor transfer line. He is a Republican and for six years or more prior to the re- cent change in city government occupied the position of director of public safety for the city of Xenia. He also was for six years a member of the local board of control, for six years served as treasurer of Xenia township, his term of office in this latter department of public activity expiring on January I, 1918, and also rendered service as a member of the workhouse board and of the local board of health.
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On September 2, 1888, Frank W. Walker was united in marriage to Ella St. John, who also was born in Caesarscreek township, and to this union have been born four children, namely : Reva, Lora and Karl at home, the latter being engaged in business with his father, and Paul, who is now a resident of Daytona, Florida. Mr. and Mrs. Walker are members of the First Reformed church and Mr. Walker for the past seven years or more has been a member of the board of trustees of the church. He is a Scottish Rite Mason and a noble of the Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, affiliated with the blue lodge at Xenia and with the consistory and the temple at Dayton. He also is affiliated with the local lodge of the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows at Xenia.
EUGENE D. SMITH.
Eugene D. Smith, yardmaster for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, at Xenia, was born at Terre Haute, Indiana, December 25, 1880, a son of James and Frances (Lowe) Smith, both now deceased, the former of whom was born and reared at Xenia and the latter at Marshall, Illinois. James Smith was a son of Adam L. and Sarah (Gano) Smith, the latter of whom was a member of one of the oldest families in Greene county, her mother, Mary (Williams) Gano, having been the first female white child born within what is now the precincts of the city of Xenia and was cradled in a maple-log trough in an old log house that stood on what is now the Roberts place on the north edge of the city. Mary Williams was a daughter of Remem- brance Williams, of whom mention is made in the historical section of this work. Adam L. Smith was a native of Scotland, born and reared at Edin- burgh, who came to this country as a young man of nineteen and presently set up a carriage shop at Xenia. He spent his last days in Xenia and lived to be seventy-two years of age. He and his wife were the parents of a considerable family of children, among those still living being Ed M. Smith, former chief of police of the city of Xenia, now living on Church street in that city, and George H. Smith, also of Xenia, who lives on South Detroit street.
James Smith was born and reared in Xenia and early entered the rail- road service, presently becoming a fireman and then a locomotive engineer on the old Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad, now a part of the Penn- sylvania system, during that period of service being located at Terre Haute. He later became connected with the Wabash Railroad and during that period of service made his home at East St. Louis, where he later became engaged in the hotel and restaurant business. James Smith was twice married and by his first wife was the father of two sons, the subject of this sketch having
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had a brother, Albert Smith, now deceased, who also became engaged in the railroad service and was thus engaged to the time of his death. Following the death of his first wife, Frances Lowe, Mr. Smith married Sarah Capoe and by that union was the father of one child, a daughter, Edna.
Eugene D. Smith was but a child when his mother died and he was reared by his grandmother Smith at Xenia, in the schools of which city he received his schooling. He then rejoined his father at East St. Louis and there became employed as a messenger boy for the Wabash Railroad, later becoming a yard clerk and then a locomotive fireman. In 1902 he returned to Xenia and there became employed as a pipe-fitter and plumber and was thus engaged for three years, at the end of which time he returned to railroad service and became a brakeman in the Pennsylvania Railroad yards at Xenia, presently being promoted to the position of yard conductor and served in the latter capacity for one year, or until 1906, when he was made night yardmaster. In 1913 Mr. Smith was promoted to the position of day yardmaster in the Xenia yards of the Pennsylvania Company and still occupies that position.
On January 6, 1906, Eugene D. Smith was united in marriage to Cora C. Weddele, who was born at Dayton, this state, daughter of George and Mary Weddele, the former of whom is now engineer at the Ohio Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home at Xenia. Mr. Smith was reared in the faith of the Episcopal church.
SAMUEL B. HARNER.
Samuel B. Harner, a farmer of Xenia township, one of the best-known residents of the Oldtown neighborhood and the patentee of the celebrated "Harner" milker which is attracting much attention among dairymen throughout the country, was born on the farm on which he is now living and has lived there all his life. He was born on November 16, 1865, a son of Charles and Mary Ann (Morgan) Harner, both now deceased, who spent their last days on that old home farm, their youngest son, the subject of this sketch, caring for them in their declining years.
Charles Harner was born in this county on February 19, 1817, a member of one of the pioneer families of Greene county, his parents, Jacob and Anna Maria (Hefly) Harner, having come up here from the vicinity of Cincinnati and made their home in Beavercreek township at an early day in the settlement of the county. On March 19, 1840, Charles Harner married Mary Ann Morgan, who was born on March II, 1823, and established his home on the place on which his son Samuel is now living. He died on August 14, 1908. His wife's death occurred on January 1, 1907. They were the parents
MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL B. HARNER.
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of eleven children, of whom, as noted above, the subject of this sketch was the last born, the others being as follows: Martin, who married Mrs. Jolly and lives in the New England states; Mary, who is living at Oldtown, widow of James H. Jacoby ; David J., who died on February 19, 1911 ; Isabella, who is living at Xenia, widow of Andrew Hutchinson; Morgan, who is married and is farming in Xenia township; Rose Ann, who is living at Oldtown, widow of Samuel Clark; Martha C., wife of George Oglesbee, of Xenia; Charles A., a farmer of Xenia township; Franklin J., who also is farming in Xenia township, and James H., the owner of a farm on the Bellbrook pike, south of Xenia.
Samuel B. Harner has always made his home on the place on which he is now living and which he now owns, a farm of one hundred and forty acres. He acquired his schooling at Oldtown, at Xenia and at Yellow Springs and in time came into the management of the home place, after his father's retirement from the active labors of the farm, and has been operating the farm since then. Politically, he is a Democrat. As a practical dairyman Mr. Harner became interested in milking devices and discerned so much in the way of improvements that might be applied to such devices that he worked out a model of an improved milker and on January 2, 1917, secured a patent on the same. This machine, the "Harner" milker, is now being manufactured by the Harner-Jones Company at Springfield, this state, and is attracting much attention, it being declared that Mr. Harner's machine is "almost human" in its operation, besides being simple, gentle, durable, harmless, noise- less, economical, insuring better milk and all the milk, easy to clean, of unlim- ited capacity and positively sanitary. The "Harner" milker has been found to eliminate "all the objectionable features possessed by machines of the experimental period; easily trebles the number of cows a hand can care for ; gets more and better milk per cow with less fretting and no harm to the ani- mal: increases profits and reduces labor, and transforms the dairy business from a hard, slavish one to an easy, pleasant and profitable occupation." This machine is the product of years of study and experiment on Mr. Harner's part and in three years of constant use has proved itself wholly free from fault in design, construction and operation.
On June 14, 1911, Samuel B. Harner was united in marriage to Isabel Fernstenmacher, who was born near Kutztown, in Berks county, Pennsyl- vania, daughter of Henry and Isabel (Deitrich) Fernstenmacher, of Long Swamp township, that county, the former of whom died on June 23, 1907, and the latter, August 23. 1914. Henry Fernstenmacher and his wife had two children, Mrs. Harner having a brother, Edwin R. Fernstenmacher, who is still living on the old home place in Pennsylvania. Mrs. Harner's schooling was completed in the Normal School at Kutztown, in the neighborhood of
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her home, and she lived at home until her marriage to Mr. Harner. To that union four children have been born, Clara Belle, Wilbur Henry, Orville David and Paul Samuel. Mrs. Harner is a member of the Baptist church.
JAMES ANDREW McDONALD.
The late James Andrew McDonald, who died at his home in Xenia township in 1894 and whose widow is still living on the old McDonald home farm there, was born on that farm and there spent all his life. He was born on August 6, 1856, son of John Nelson McDonald and wife, the former 'of whom was born on that same place, son of Isaiah McDonald, a Virginian and one of the first settlers in that part of Greene county, the house in which Mrs. McDonald is now living having been erected there by Isaiah McDonald more than one hundred years ago. It was in the year 1802 that Isaiah McDonald and his wife Edith came here from North Carolina and estab- lished their home in what later came to be organized as Caesarscreek town- ship. Their son, Leavitt McDonald, who was a soldier in the War of 1812, married Susan Strong and had ten children, five sons and five daughters. Of these children, Jolin N. McDonald, who was born on January 13, 1808, married Elizabeth Saville and after a continuous residence of sixty-five years on the old McDonald farm moved to an adjoining farm, where he died three years later, June 8, 1887. John N. McDonald was the owner of a farm of two hundred acres. He and his wife were members of the Reformed church and were the parents of three children, the subject of this memorial sketch having had a brother, Charles W. McDonald, a former farmer in Xenia township, who is now making his home in Florida, and a sister, Mil- dred, who died in the days of her girlhood.
Reared on the home farm in Xenia township, James A. McDonald com- pleted his schooling in a business college at Painsville and after his marriage in the fall of 1877 established his home on the old home place, which had been settled by his grandfather, and became the owner of one hundred and twenty-two acres of the same, continuing engaged in farming there the rest of his life, his death occurring on November 2, 1894. In addition to his general farming Mr. McDonald also for years operated a threshing-machine in his neighborhood. He was a Republican and at one time and another had held various township offices. By religious persuasion he was a member of the Reformed church.
On September 12, 1877, James A. McDonald was united in marriage to Amy E. Ford, who was born in Caesarscreek township, and who survives him, continuing to make her home on her farm. Mrs. McDonald also is a member of one of the old families of Greene county. Her father, James M.
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Ford, grew up in Caesarscreek township and after his marriage lived for some time on the Jacob Peterson farm, in that township, later buying a farm in that same neighborhood, where he lived until his retirement from the farm and removal to Xenia, where he died at the age of seventy-five years. James M. Ford was twice married, and by his first wife, Mary Peterson, who also was born in this county, daughter of Jacob Peterson, was the father of six children, of whom Mrs. McDonald was the first-born, the others being Charles, deceased; Chauncey, who is farming in New Jasper township; Hettie, who married Lawson Shambaugh and is now living at New Burling- ton; Bena, wife of Milton Linkhart, of Wilmington, in the neighboring county of Clinton, and a daughter who died in infancy. The mother of these children died at the age of sixty-two years, after which Mr. Ford married a widow, Mrs. Alton, who died at Xenia in 1916.
To James A. and Amy E. (Ford) McDonald were born nine children, namely : Orville, a farmer of Xenia township, who married Lena Middleton and has two children, Paul and Edith; Leavitt, a farmer of Caesarscreek township, who married Minnie Peterson and has two children, Mildred and Rosella; Ford H., who married Dessie Bayless and died at the age of thirty- five years, leaving three children, Ella May, Helen and Kenneth (deceased) ; Emma Pearl, who married Ray Huston, a merchant at Xenia, and has two children, Velma and Elizabeth; Mayme Edith, who married Ray Sutton, of New Jasper township, and has one child, a daughter, Cleo; Lucy, who mar- ried Volney Harness, of Xenia, and has one child, a daughter, Mabel; Mary, who married Glenn Bartlett, a farmer of New Jasper township and has two children, Elma and Donald: James Ray, a farmer of Xenia township, who married Elsie Fudge and has one child, a son, Wilford, and Melvin, who is unmarried and who continues to make his home with his mother, farming the home place, sixty acres of which Mrs. McDonald continues to retain. Mrs. McDonald is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
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