History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II, Part 4

Author: Broadstone, Michael A., 1852- comp
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1440

USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 4

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As his affairs prospered Mr. Baughman began giving attention to the general business affairs of the city, his first connection with the banking interests of the city being as a member of the board of directors of the Xenia

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

Bank, afterward a branch of the State Bank of Ohio, and which was rechar- tered as the First National Bank of Xenia upon the passage of the national bank law. He was vice-president of the latter institution and upon the death of the president of the same was elected president, a position he filled until the expiration of the bank's charter; and when the bank was reorganized as the Xenia National Bank he was elected president of the same and so con- tinued until failing health compelled his resignation, although he continued his financial interest in the bank and his place on the directorate until his death. Mr. Baughman also was an active figure in local political circles. His first vote was cast for Andrew Jackson for President and he continued his affiliation with the Democratic party until the organization of the Republican party in 1856, when he voted for John C. Fremont and ever afterward was a supporter of the principles of the Republican party. For twelve years he served as a member of the board of county commissioners and also for years served as a member of the city council, for several terms president of the same, and in other ways gave his attention to public affairs. For more than forty years he was one of the most influential members of the Reformed church in the United States and an office bearer in the local congregation of the same, his name being interwoven with the history of that church in America during the period of his activities, he being particularly remembered as the donor of a fund of twenty thousand dollars for the creation of the Baughman Professorship of the Latin Language and Literature and Biblical Instruction in Heidelberg University at Tiffin, this state. That he enjoyed in an unusual degree the confidence of the public and those with whom he was associated is shown by the fact that he had served as the guardian of fourteen minor children and had served as administrator or executor of ten extensive estates. For many years he was an active Odd Fellow and a member of the grand lodge of that order and of the grand encampment, Patriarchs Militant.

On February 7, 1833, but a few years after becoming a resident of Greene county, Andrew H. Baughman was united in marriage to Mary Snyder, who was born in Washington county, Maryland, September 7, 1814, and who was but an infant when her parents, Jonathan Snyder and wife, came to Ohio and settled with their family in Greene county, Jonathan Snyder becoming one of the pioneer millers of this county, proprietor of the mill in which Mr. Baughman later and for many years had an interest. To that union no children were born, but Mr. and Mrs. Baughman reared several children to whom they gave the same indulgent care that would have been bestowed upon children of their very own. Mrs. Baughman died in 1891, just a few months before the death of her husband. As the Xenia Gasette fittingly commented, following the death of Andrew H. Baughman: "Mr. Baughman will be missed by the church and by people in different walks of

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life and he will be remembered for many years as one whose sympathies were as broad as the human race and whose integrity was beyond question." An- other biographer also pointed out that "his love for his fellow men was deep and sincere, and surely the world is better for his having lived."

JOHN LUTZ.

In making up a list of those residents of Xenia aforetime who contrib- uted actively to the general business and industrial development of the city of Xenia, mention should be made of the life and services of the late John Lutz, a veteran of the Civil War, who for many years was engaged in the blacksmithing and wagon-making business at Xenia and who departed this life at his home in that city on December 17, 1912, and is buried in Wood- land cemetery. John Lutz was a native of the state of Maryland, but had been a resident of Xenia since the days of his young manhood. He was born near the village of Clear Spring, Maryland, January 5, 1829, a son of Henry and Frances (Moudy) Lutz, the former of whom was born in the vicinity of Millersburg, in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1802, and the latter, at Williamsport, Maryland. Henry Lutz was a son of Nicholas Lutz, whose father had come to this country from Germany in colonial days and had established the family in Pennsylvania, where and in other sections of the country there is a numerous connection of the family to this day. During the early '50s of the past century, Henry Lutz came with his family to Ohio and located at Xenia, but in 1859 moved over into Indiana and set- tled on a farm in the vicinity of Ft. Wayne, but after residing there about ten years returned to Xenia and there spent his last days, his death occurring in 1877. His widow survived him about eight years. They were the parents of five children, two sons and three daughters, of whom but two reached maturity, the subject of this memorial sketch having had a sister, Mary, the wife of B. Y. Berry, also a resident of Xenia.

John Lutz was reared in his native Maryland and there received his schooling and became proficient in the use of tools, becoming an expert blacksmith and wagon-maker, and when he arrived in Xenia in November, 1853, he became employed working at his trade, in the employ of James White. In the spring of 1855 he returned to Maryland and was there mar- ried to the girl to whom he had plighted his troth before coming to Ohio. Upon his return to Xenia he was accompanied by his father and together they set up in business with a smithy on Church street and were thus en- gaged until the spring of 1859, when they bought an established wagon- making shop in Xenia and engaged in that business. In that same year the father left Xenia to go over into Indiana and thereafter John Lutz conducted

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the business alone and continued so engaged until his retirement from busi- ness, not long before his death, having been continuously thus engaged for a period of nearly fifty years. During the later years of his life Mr. Lutz had associated with him in business his eldest son, Jacob H. Lutz, who is still carrying on the business at the same old stand. During the progress of the Civil War, in the early part of 1864, John Lutz enlisted for service, under the four-months call, and went to the front as a member of Company E, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry ; with that regiment participated in the battle of New Creek, Virginia, and was mustered out at Camp Denison at the end of his term of service, in Sep- tember, 1864. Mr. Lutz was a member of Lewis Post No. 347, Grand Army of the Republic, and a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. By religious persuasion he was a member of the Re- formed church and broke the ground for the erection of the present church edifice of that congregation in Xenia. Politically, he was a Republican.

It was in March, 1855, in Maryland, that John Lutz was united in mar- riage to Savilla Wolford, who also was born in that state, and to that union were born six children, Jacob Henry, John Edward, Laura B., Cora E., Ida S., and Frances Elizabeth, the latter of whom died in infancy. The mother of these children died at her home in Xenia on March 4, 1907, and is buried in Woodland cemetery, where her husband was carried to be laid by her side in the closing month of 1912, as noted above. Miss Cora E. Lutz is maintaining the old home residence, she having continued as housekeeper for her father after her mother's death, and is very comfortably situated there. She has ever taken an interested part in the general good works of the community.

Jacob H. Lutz, who is continuing the business established so many years ago by his father, has been twice married, his first wife, Anna Cisco, having died at the age of thirty-four years, leaving three children, Myrtle Bell, who married Roy Barnes, of Springfield, Ohio, and now lives in Jack- sonville, Florida; Harry DeGroot, also living in Jacksonville, Florida, and John Wilbur, who now lives at Dayton, this state. In 1915 Mr. Lutz mar- ried, secondly, Mrs. Susie Matthews, of Dayton. John Edward Lutz also is married and with his family is now living at Vernon, Texas. He has seven children, John, Robert, Mary, Ida, Charles, James and Ruth. Laura B. Lutz married John F. Sanders, of Xenia, and has two sons, both of whom are married, Earl Lutz Sanders, now living at Kansas City, Missouri, and Frank Ira Sanders, living at Detroit, Michigan. Ida S. Lutz married George Sinz, who was engaged in the grocery business at Xenia and who died in 1896. She continues to make her home in Xenia, residing at the old home place with her sister Cora, and conducts the leading millinery estab-

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

lishment in Xenia, a business in which she has been quite successful. Mrs. Sinz has traveled widely having visited England, Holland, Germany, Switzer- land and France and has witnessed the Passion Play. She has made thirty trips to New York City in connection with her business, it ever being her endeavor to introduce for the benefit of the patrons of her establishment the latest styles in millinery.

CHARLES W. WHITMER.

Charles W. Whitmer, for many years a member of the bar of Greene county and still actively engaged in the practice of his profession at Xenia, with offices at 18 East Market street, is a native son of Ohio and has lived in this state all his life. He was born in the village of Rainsboro, in High- land county, July 4, 1852, a son of the Rev. David and Catherine (Fox) Whitmer, the former of whom, for years a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church, spent his last days in Xenia.

The Rev. David Whitmer was a Virginian by birth, but was reared in Ohio, his parents, David Whitmer and wife, the former of whom was a Penn- sylvanian by birth, having come to this state and settled in Greene county, where they established their home and where they spent the remainder of their lives. Rev. David Whitmer's first charge was at Hillsboro, in High- land county, and, under the system of the itinerary of Methodist clergymen, he afterward occupied charges at numerous places throughout this section of the state. In 1872 he was stationed at Jamestown, in this county, which charge he occupied for three years, and later was at Spring Valley. Upon his acceptance of the superanuate relation in 1876 he made his home at Xenia and there spent his last days, his death occurring there in 1881, he then being sixty-one years of age. He was twice married, his first wife, Catherine Fox, who was born at Richmond, Indiana, and who was a sister of Judge Henry C. Fox, of that city, having died in 1854. To that union two sons were born, Charles W. Whitmer having had a brother more than two years older than himself, William C. Whitmer, who was long connected with the Pennsylvania Railroad service, for some time trainmaster of the northern di- vision at Columbus, who died in 1909. Following the death of the mother of these children Rev. David Whitmer married Amanda C. Gardner, of the neighboring county of Clinton, who survived him about five years, her death occurring in 1886. To that union were born nine children, six of whom are still living, namely: George Whitmer, trainmaster for the Pennsylvania Railroad, with headquarters at Xenia; Harriet, unmarried, who is living in Xenia ; Clarence Whitmer, formerly teller of the Xenia National Bank, now living in Chicago; Florence, who married Walter Fulghum and is living at

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

Richmond, Indiana; Mary, who married Marshall Lupton and is living at Indianapolis, and Harry Whitmer, who is engaged in the undertaking busi- ness at Xenia.

Before he was fourteen years of age Charles W. Whitmer had passed the necessary examination for a teacher's license and taught a term of school in Champaign county, where his father then was located. The next winter he taught at the Stover school in that same county. During the time his father was located at Urbana he was graduated from the high school in that city and then entered Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, pursuing there the four-year course and was just ready to be graduated when he was stricken with the measles, which prevented his completion of the course and he never graduated. In the meantime he had learned the art of telegraphing and had been spending his vacations from college in the railroad service, a service lie continued for some time after leaving college, spending his winters teaching school. He had married in 1876, two years before leaving college, and upon leaving college, in 1878, resumed teaching at the Mt. Tabor school in New Jasper township, this county, and was thus engaged there in 1881 when he took up the study of law. In 1884 he passed the examination for admission to the bar, resigned his position as superintendent of schools at New Bur- lington and moved to Xenia with his wife and two children, established his home there and opened an office for the practice of his profession. Upon lo- cating at Xenia Mr. Whitmer secured the law office and practice of Squire WV. J. Alexander, who had just been appointed superintendent of the Ohio State Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home, and upon the latter's return from that position a year later formed a partnership with him which continued un- til the death of Squire Alexander in 1886, since which time Mr. Whitmer has been engaged in practice alone. Mr. Whitmer is a Republican. He formerly was city solicitor, for fourteen years was a member of the board of tax equal- ization and for ten years a member of the county board of review. He was elected to the board of public service of the city of Xenia and in 1909 when the Legislature created the office of director of public service he was appointed to that office. For twenty years he has been the attorney for the Peoples Building and Savings Company of Xenia. He is affiliated with the Masons the Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Improved Order of Red Men.

On November 24; 1876, Charles W. Whitmer was united in marriage to Libbie S. Cooper, who was born in New Jasper township, this county, daughter of Samuel and Polly Cooper, and to this union three children have been born, Effie C., who married Charles Cross, manager of the Springfield & Xenia Telephone Company; Freddie, who died in infancy, and John Ray- mond, now deccased, who was formerly connected with the Miami Telephone

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

Company of Xenia and whose daughter Dorothy makes her home with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Whitmer. The Whitmers are members of the First Methodist Episcopal church.

THOMAS L. MAGRUDER.

The late Thomas L. Magruder, attorney-at-law, who died at his home in Xenia in 1906, was born in Prince George's county, Maryland, not far from the City of Washington, July 3. 1848, and was consequently fifty- eight years of age at the time of his death. He was a son of Dr. Archi- bald and Narcissa (Adamson) Magruder, both of whom also were natives of Maryland, in which state they spent all their lives. Mr. Archibald Ma- gruder died at the height of his powers, during the Civil War period, he then being forty-five years of age. He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, five of whom died in infancy and three of whom are still living.

After the death of his father Thomas L. Magruder entered the Univer- sity of Maryland, from which he was graduated in medicine at the age of nineteen years, the youngest man who had ever received a diploma from that college. He practiced medicine for one year in Washington, D. C., under the late Dr. Josiah Magruder, a one time mayor of the City of Wash- ington, which in 1871 lost its local charter and was placed under the control of three commissioners under the direction of the Congress. Mr. Magruder later abandoned the study of medicine for that of law, and in 1874, he then being about twenty-five years of age, determined upon Xenia as a promising place in which to locate for the practice of his profession, and in that year was given a place in the law office of Little & Shearer, and was for two years thus associated, during that time securing admission to the bar. He then opened an office of his own and from that time therceforward practice alone. Mr. Magruder was an "independent" in politics. The only public office he ever held was that of prosecuting attorney for Greene county. He was intensely interested in the raising of fine stock and devoted many years to that avoca- tion. Some of his more notable horses were exported to Europe after his death. By religious persuasion he was a member of the Episcopal church. His death occurred on September, 6, 1906, and his widow still survives him, continuing to make her home at Xenia, where she has always lived in the old Millen home, erected by her father many years ago at 230 North Detroit street, where she now lives with her niece, Miss Emma Davidson.

Mrs. Magruder was born, Margaret Emma Millen, in Xenia, daughter of David and Mary Patterson (Stewart) Millen, and was living there at the time of her marriage on June 24, 1877, to Mr. Magruder, which union

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was without issue. David Millen, her father, was a native of South Caro- lina, born in Chester county, that state, one of the ten children born to John and Martha (Moffitt) Millen, the former of whom was born in Scotland and was but a lad when his parents, Robert Millen and wife, came to this country with their family and settled in South Carolina, Robert Millen hav- ing received a patent for his land in that state direct from King George. John Millen became an extensive landowner and slaveholder in South Caro- lina, but when he found death approaching he willed that all his slaves should be given their freedom and some of these freedmen David Millen later brought with him to Ohio when he came to this state. David Millen was born in the year 1813 and grew up on the home plantation in Chester county and was there married. His first wife died within the year of her marriage and after Mr. Millen's removal to Xenia he later married Mary Patterson Stewart of Clark county, Ohio. They located at Oxford, where they made their home for three years, at the end of which time they came to Xenia, where David Millen joined his brother Eli in the mercantile busi- ness, Eli Millen having previously located there in 1834. For many years David and Eli Millen carried on a general mercantile business at the north- west corner of Main and Detroit streets, where the Steele building now stands, and then moved to a point in East Main street, now occupied by the Orpheum Theater, where they were for years engaged in the dry-goods business. They also were for some time, in association with the Connable brothers, engaged in the pork-packing business and were likewise inter- ested in various other business enterprises in the city, the Millen interests coming to be recognized as among the most extensive hereabout. David Millen also was engaged quite extensively in real-estate transactions and in this connection built numerous buildings about town, and he and his brother erected the building still known as the Millen block on Greene street. They took a deep interest in Xenia's upbuilding and were liberal contributors to all local good works, the Young Men's Christian Association, the pubic library and other movements of a beneficent or cultural character having their ungrudging support. Mr. Millen was a Republican and for many years served as a member of the city council. He and his wife originally were members of the Associate 'Reformed church, but after the "union" in 1858 became members of the United Presbyterian church, and in that faith their children were reared. There were five of these children, of whom Mrs. Magruder now is the only survivor, the others having been Eva, who mar- ried William Trow, and died at Madison, Indiana; Carrie, who was the wife of Dr. Eber Watt, of Xenia; Edwin Stewart Millen, who died at the age of twenty years, and Mrs. Martha Jane Davidson, whose children, David Millen Davidson, John M. Davidson, Edwin S. Davidson and Emma J.

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Davidson, are the only surviving grandchildren of David Millen. . All live in Xenia with the exception of D. M. Davidson, who is a plantation owner in Guatemala, Central America. In both church and social service Mrs. Magruder has taken an earnest interest and her gentle influence has been helpful in many ways in promoting such movements as have been designed to advance the common welfare hereabout.

FLOYD ANDERSON.

Floyd Anderson, a florist at Xenia, with an establishment at IOI West Main street in that city, was born at Waverly, in Pike county, Ohio, Novem- ber 29, 1873, son of Henry and Catherine (Holton) Anderson, both of whom were born in that same locality and there spent all their lives.

Henry Anderson was reared as a farmer and followed that vocation through life, and also was for some time a singing-school teacher in Pike county. He was born on June 20, 1850, one of the ten children born to his parents and all of whom are now deceased save two, William, who continues to live in Pike county, and Mrs. Jane Rankin, of Elkhart, Indiana, the others besides Henry having been James, Jonathan, John, Willis, Tennyson, Callie and Susan. On December 24, 1871, Henry Anderson was united in mar- riage to Catherine Holton, who also was born in Pike county, August 28, 1852, daughter of Thomas and Susan (Beekman) Holton, both of whom also were born in that same county and who were the parents of ten chil- dren, those besides Mrs. Anderson having been Branson, deceased; Cath- erine, who is living; Mrs. Euphemia Leeper, deceased; Douglas, deceased ; James, who is still living in Pike county; Mrs. Callie Alexander, deceased ; May, wife of C. L. Humphrey; Harvey, who lives in Pike county, and Chloe, of Waverly. To Henry and Catherine (Holton) Anderson were born ten children, those besides the subject of this sketch being the fol- lowing: Arzie, who married Ella Ashbaugh and has six children, Callie, May, Opal, Harold, Robert and Donald: Dora, who married C. D. Legg, of Anderson, Indiana, and has two children, Donald and Lucile; Alta, who died in infancy ; Merle, now living at Newark, this state, who married Zoe Ashbaugh and has two children, Donald and Dora; Mrs. Erma Beekman, who died at Newark; Bessie, who married Charles West, of Jeffersonville, Fayette county. and has six children, Esther, Howard, Cecil, Catherine, Maxine and Vernon; Thomas, living at Newark, who is married and has one child, a son, Paul; Harvey, who is married and lives at Newark, and George, also married and living at Newark.

Floyd Anderson early turned his attention to floriculture and upon

GREENE COUNTY, OHIO

completing his schooling gave his attention seriously to that vocation. After three years of experience in a floral establishment in Warren county he went to Columbus, where he became employed in the floral department of the Liv- ingston Seed Company and after some further experience there went to Dayton and thence to Xenia, in which latter city, October 27, 1913, he opened a floral shop at 101 West Main street, where he ever since has been engaged in business.

On November 12, 1902, at Harveysburg, this state, Floyd Anderson was united in marriage to Mande Davis, of that place, and to this union has been born one child, a son, D. Carlton Anderson, born on June 21, 1904. Mr. and Mrs. Anderson are members of the Friends church at Xenia. Mr. Anderson is an independent voter and, fraternally, is affiliated with the local lodges of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Loyal Order of the Moose at Xenia.

BARNEY W. CARLOS.

The late Barney W. Carlos, who for years was a passenger conductor on the division of the Pennsylvania lines between Richmond, Indiana, and Springfield, Ohio, and who died at his home in Xenia on July 28, 1917, was born at Springfield on July 25, 1855, son of Matthew and Bridget (Gaffney) Carlos, both of whom also were born at Springfield, and who spent their last days there. Matthew Carlos was for years an employe of the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company at Springfield, connected with the freight house there. He and his wife were members of the Catholic church and their children were reared in that faith. There were five of these children, of whom the subject of this memorial sketch was the first-born, the others being Matthew, deceased; George, of Springfield; Winnifred, of Columbus, and Bridget, deceased.

Reared at Springfield, Barney W. Carlos received his schooling in the schools of that city and when seventeen years of age became engaged as assistant baggagemaster for the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at that point. He later became a railway brakeman, presently was promoted to the position of conductor of a freight train and in due time was raised to the position of a conductor in the passenger service, a position he filled for sixteen years, during which time he became widely known along the line of the Pennsylvania between Richmond and Springfield. For vears Mr. Carlos had made his home in Xenia and there his death occurred on July 28, 1917, he then being three days past sixty-two years of age. He was a mem- ber of St. Brigid's Catholic church at Xenia, was affiliated with the local

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History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II, Part 4

Author: Broadstone, Michael A., 1852- comp Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1440

Author: Broadstone, Michael A., 1852- comp
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Indianapolis, B.F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1440