USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 85
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Republican and for some time served as a member of the Cedarville common council and of the school board.
On October 3, 1889, Ellsworth G. Lowry was united in marriage to Etta G. Gregg, who was born in Xenia township, this county, daughter of David A. and Elenor (Galloway) Gregg, both now deceased, and to this union three sons have been born, namely: David A., a machinist, living at Dayton, at present a mechanician in the Aviation Corps, McCook's Field, who married Clara Push and has two children, Victoria and Mildred; Charles E., who now (1918) is a soldier of the National Army, a corporal of Motor Transportation Base Section No. I, Truck Company No. 2, engaged with the American Expeditionary Force in France, and William Glenn, who is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Lowry are members of the United Presbyterian church at Cedarville.
LEVI M. ASHBAUGH.
Levi M. Ashbaugh, a farmer of the Osborn neighborhood in Bath town- ship, this county, was born in the vicinity of the city of Frederick, in the county of that name in the state of Maryland, on June 14, 1841, son of Aquilla and Rachel (Hann) Ashbaugh, the former of whom was a native of the state of Pennsylvania and the latter of Maryland, who were the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third in order of birth. Aquilla Ashbaugh was a farmer and also gave considerable atten- tion to the cultivation of fruit trees, carrying on quite an extensive nursery in the neighborhood of Frederick.
Reared on the home farm in Maryland, Levi M. Ashbaugh remained there until after he had attained his majority, when he came to Ohio, locating at Dayton. For four years thereafter he worked on farms in the vicinity of that city and while thus engaged, in the fall of 1865, married a Greene county girl and located in this county. About 1892 Mr. Ashbaugh bought the forty-acre farm on which he is now living in Bath township and has ever since made his home there. He is a Republican and has served the public in the capacity of supervisor of roads in his home district.
In September 14, 1865, Levi M. Ashbaugh was united in marriage to Rebecca Coy, who was born in this county, May 14, 1845, daughter of Jacob and Catherine Coy, the former of whom was twice married and was the father of twenty-one children. To Mr. and Mrs. Ashbaugh ten chil- dren have been born. The first-born of these died in infancy; the others, Nelson, John, Rose, William, Benjamin, Dessie, Ferdinand, Minnie and Maud, have all married and gone from the home place. Mr. and Mrs. Ashbaugh are members of the Dunkard church.
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DANIEL WEBSTER WOLF.
Daniel Webster Wolf, who is in charge of the C. M. Harner farm in Beavercreek township, rural mail route No. 3 out of Xenia, was born in that township on June 23, 1888, son of C. E. and Minnie ( Harner) Wolf, both of whom were born in that same township and who are now living about four miles north of Alpha. To them four children were born, those besides the subject of this sketch being Mina ( deceased), Delora and Merle M.
Reared on the home farm, Daniel W. Wolf received his schooling in the neighborhood schools and early began farming and "hustling" on his own account. On February 22, 1912, he married Effie May Harner, who was born in Bath township, daughter of C. M. and Emma (Trollinger) Harner, and after his marriage made his home on the farm of his father-in- law, in that township, and when Mr. and Mrs. Harner left the farm and moved to Xenia took charge of the farm and has since been managing the place. Politically, Mr. Wolf is a Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Reformed church at Byron. They have two children, Alfred Webster and Catherine May.
JOHN A. BEATTY.
John A. Beatty, head of the firm of J. A. Beatty & Son, dealers in furni- ture at Xenia, and who also has for years been engaged as a traveling sales- man for a Michigan furniture house, was born in this county and has lived here practically all his life. He was born on a farm in Bath township on January 19, 1862, son of John and Delilah (Jones) Beatty, the former of whom was born in Ireland and the latter in the state of Pennsylvania, whose last days were spent in this county, they having established their home in Bath township after their marriage.
John Beatty was born in County Tyrone and remained in his native Ireland until he was twenty-two years of age, when he came to this country and was for a time located in the state of New York, coming thence to Ohio and settling in this county, where he became engaged in farming. He presently bought a farm of eighty-three acres in Bath township and after his marriage established his home there, he and his wife spending the rest of their lives on that place. She died in 1875, at the age of forty-one years, and he survived her until October 22, 1888, he being seventy-five years of age at the time of his death. They were members of the Presbyterian church and their children were reared in that faith. There were eight of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth, the others being Catherine, who is still living on the home place in Bath township; William Henry, who also continues to live there, farming the place; James,
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deceased; Charles Edward, who is a farmer in Bath township; Margaret Ann, who is still living on the home place; Frank E., the present owner of the old Kellogg strawberry farm in the vicinity of Three Rivers, Michigan, where he is engaged in the cultivation of strawberries, and Martha Ellen, who is living on the old home place in Bath township.
John A. Beatty grew up on the home farm, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and when thirteen years of age began to work on his own account, being thus engaged working at farm labor until he was twenty- two years of age, when he became employed in the grocery store of L. M. Bull at Xenia. Two years later he married and became employed in the furniture store of R. D. Adair, continuing thus engaged until 1893, in which year he moved to Urbana, this state, and there became engaged in the furni- ture business on his own account, a member of the firm of Arnold & Beatty. Two years later he sold his interest in that store and returned to Xenia and for two years thereafter was engaged in the hardware store of J. C. Con- well, later resuming his old position in the Adair store. A year later Mr. Beatty resigned that position to accept a position as a traveling representa- tive of the Burkhardt Furniture Company of Dayton, a position he occupied until 1902, when he transferred his connection to the Cheboygan Couch Com- pany and has ever since been connected with that concern. In the meantime, in September, 1915, Mr. Beatty opened a furniture store at Xenia, in asso- ciation with his younger son, Ernest D. Beatty, under the firm name of J. A. Beatty & Son, his son taking the part of active manager of the store.
On March 23, 1886, John A. Beatty was united in marriage to Carrie Lantz and to that union three children have been born, namely: Clark Adair, Ernest David and Mary Lucile, the latter of whom was a graduate from the Xenia high school in 1915 and is now studying in Christ Hospital at Cincinnati to equip herself for the profession of a trained nurse. Clark Adair Beatty, who makes his home at Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, married Vivien Lamb and has two children, Jane Reed and Mona Ruth. For six years he served as a member of Company I, Ohio National Guard, and during the Mexican border trouble in 1916 went with that command to the border and was thus engaged in active service for nine months. For the past year and more he has been engaged as a traveling salesman for the Cheboygan Couch Company, the concern with which 'his father has for years been con- nected in a similar capacity. For two years after leaving school Ernest David Beatty was engaged with the Dayton branch of the Sample Shoe Company and then accepted a position with the Burkhardt Furniture Com- pany, for which concern he traveled for three years, at the end of which time, in 1915, he became associated with his father in business at Xenia, junior member of the firm of J. A. Beatty & Son, furniture dealers. He mar-
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ried Oma Early and makes his home at Xenia. Both the Beatty brothers are members of the local camp of the Sons of Veterans, this affiliation being based upon the service of their grandfather, James L. Lantz. The Beattys are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
JAMES HARVEY LACKEY.
James Harvey Lackey, proprietor of a farm in Ross township, was born in that township and has lived there all his life. He was born on May 17, 1857, son of Givens and Margaret Ann (Turnbull) Lackey, the latter of whom also was born in Ross township, daughter of James and Susan ( Bull) Turnbull, both members of pioneer families in this part of Ohio.
The late Givens Lackey was a native of the Old Dominion, born in Rockbridge county, Virginia, in' 1826, and was but three years of age when his parents, Isaac Lackey and wife, came to Ohio in 1829 and settled in Ross township, this county. Here Givens Lackey grew to manhood and in time became a farmer on his own account and a breeder of Shorthorns. On February 7, 1855, Givens Lackey married Margaret Ann Turnbull and of the five children born to that union four are still living, the subject of this sketch having three brothers, Cyrus C. Lackey, also of Ross township: William Hunter Lackey, a farmer of Ross township, and Dr. Joseph Clarke Lackey, a physician at Jamestown. Givens Lackey and his wife were mem- bers of the United Presbyterian church and their sons were reared in that faith.
James H. Lackey was reared on the home farm in Ross township and supplemented the schooling he received in the neighborhood schools by attend- ance during the years 1875-77 at Xenia College, afterward resuming his labors on the farm, giving particular attention to the live-stock operations carried on by his father, and after his marriage in the fall of 1880 estab- lished his home on the farm on which he is now living. Ever since 1876 Mr. Lackey has been engaged in the breeding of Poland China hogs and also has for years maintained a herd of Jersey dairy cattle. He is a Repub- lican and has served as director of his home school district, for ten years as president of the board of education of Ross township, for some time as township assessor and as land appraiser and is now treasurer of Ross town- ship, a position he has occupied for more than four years.
On November 10, 1880, James H. Lackey was united in marriage to Della Crawford, who was born in Xenia township, this county, daughter of Robert and Jane (Cherry) Crawford, and to this union have been born three daughters, Fay De Ette, wife of James I. Patterson, a Xenia township farmer, and Myrtle May and Margaret Jane, at home. The Lackeys are members of the United Presbyterian church at Jamestown.
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KINGSLEY M. JOHNSTON.
Kingsley M. Johnston, manufacturer of the products of the Johnston Remedy Company at Bowersville and since the death of his father, the founder of that company, the head of the concern, was born on a farm three miles west of the village of Bowersville on October 29, 1872, son of Lemuel V. and Lucinda (Devoe) Johnston, the latter of whom also was born in this county, three miles west of Bowersville, daughter of David and Mary (Ary) Devoe, pioneers of that section and further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume.
Lemuel V. Johnston was born in Hampshire county, Virginia, that county since the time of the Civil War having been comprised within the bounds of West Virginia, in 1839, a son of Thornton and Elizabeth (Neil) Johnston, both of whom were born in that same county and the latter of. whom died there. In 1855 Thornton Johnston came to this county and settled on a farm south of Bowersville, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there in 1861. He and his wife were the parents of four children, of whom Lemuel V. was the third in order of birth, the others being John W., who for some time after his father's death farmed the home place and then moved over into Fayette county, later returning to this county and located on a farm east of Bowersville and on the latter place spent his last days; Sarah, who died unmarried, and Jacob, who for some years fol- lowed the profession of teaching and then became engaged with his brother and the latter's son Kingsley in the manufacture of proprietory medicine at Bowersville and thus continued engaged until his death in 1915.
Having been but sixteen years of age when he came to this county with his parents in 1855, Lemuel V. Johnston grew to manhood on the farm south of Bowersville. After his marriage to Lucinda Devoe he located on a farm three miles west of Bowersville and there was engaged in farming until 1891, when he and his son Kingsley became engaged in the manufacture of proprietory medicines at Bowersville, under the name of the Johnston Remedy Company, and he continued thus engaged until his death in 1908. His wife had preceded him to the grave four years, her death having occurred in 1904. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and he was a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Port William. Lemuel V. Johnston and wife were the parents of six chil- dren, of whom the subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth, the others being Emma, who married Lewis H. Wilson and died in 1890; Horace V., a farmer living west of Bowersville; David A., a farmer of New Jasper township: Sarah E., wife of William J. Baker, living east of Bowers- ville, and Jesse P., a farmer, who died in 1908 and whose widow, who before her marriage was Jennie Perkins, is now living at Columbus, this state.
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Kingsley M. Johnston grew up on the home farm west of Bowersville, received his schooling in the neighborhood schools, and was eighteen years of age when he became interested with his father in the manufacture of the Johnston remedies at Bowersville, put out under the manufacturers' title of the Johnston Remedy Company, of which Mr. Johnston has been the sole proprietor since the death of his father and his uncle. He also owns a farm of three hundred and five acres three miles southeast of town.
On December 28, 1898, Kingsley M. Johnson was united in marriage to Myrtle Rittenhouse, who was born in Highland county, this state, daugh- ter and only child of James and Sarah (Lucas) Rittenhouse, the latter of whom died on October 1, 1912, and the former of whom now makes his home with Mr. and Mrs, Johnston at Bowersville. During the earlier years of his manhood James Rittenhouse was engaged as a school teacher. He then took up farming and bought and sold farms until 1896, when he located in Jefferson township, this county, where he remained until his retirement. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as are Mr. and Mrs. Johnston. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnston, Eliza- beth, born on February 20, 1911 ; Alden, January 2, 1913, and James Robert, June 19, 1917.
WVALTER W. BARNETT.
Walter W. Barnett, hardware dealer at Jamestown, former mayor of that city and formerly and for years a member of the common council, is a native son of Greene county, born on a farm in Xenia township on March 2, 1877, son of James H. and Martha Ellen (Harper) Barnett, both of whom also were born in this county, and who are still living here. To James H. Barnett and wife twelve children were born, namely: John, who is now living at Xenia : Walter W., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch: Ernest, of Xenia; Mary, deceased; Elizabeth, deceased; Harry. deceased ; Myrtle, of Xenia ; Benjamin, deceased ; James, of Xenia ; Moudy and Clarence, who are now ( 1918) connected with the National Army, sta- tioned at Camp Sherman, and Henry, of Xenia.
Reared on the home farm, Walter W. Barnett received his schooling in the common schools and for a while after leaving school was engaged in farming. He then became engaged in the lumber business at Jamestown, a member of the firm of Barnett Brothers, and was thus engaged for seven years, at the end of which time he became engaged in the livery business in that town, continuing thus occupied for two years, or until 1910, in which year he bought the Paullin hardware store at Jamestown and has ever since been engaged in the hardware business there. In 1910 Mr. Barnett was his party's nominee for the office of county commissioner from his district.
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From 1908 to 1912 he served as mayor of his home town and for eight years served as a member of the common council. He is a member of the local lodges of the Free and Accepted Masons, of the Knights of Pythias and of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics at Jamestown.
On January 14, 1904, Walter W. Barnett was united in marriage to Stella Heifner, who also was born in this county, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Early) Heifner, and a sister of Harry N. Heitner, proprietor of the Wickersham House, further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Barnett are members of the Friends church.
JAMES G. CONKLIN.
James G. Conklin, a retired farmer of Jefferson township, living on his farm a mile south of Bowersville, was born in the village of Lumberton, over the line in Clinton county, June 3, 1837, son of Harvey F. and Hannah (Noland) Conklin, the latter of whom was born in Virginia. Harvey F. Conklin was born in the vicinity of Albany, New York, and grew up there, becoming a blacksmith. When a young man he came to Ohio and located at Lumberton, where he opened a blacksmith shop and where he married. In 1849 he moved with his family up into Greene county and bought a farm of one hundred acres at Middletons Corners in Caesarscreek township, where he remained until his retirement and return to Lumberton, where he died at the age of seventy-three years. His wife died at the age of seventy-four. Harvey F. Conklin was a Whig and later a Republican and he and his wife were Methodists. They were the parents of eight children, those besides James G., being Sarah, who is now living at New Burlington, widow of Newton Shambaugh; William W., a veteran of the Civil War and a retired farmer, now living at Xenia; Henry H., a banker, living at Xenia ; Thomas, retired, now living at New Burlington; Tunis, also of New Burlington; George, deceased, and Charles C., a farmer of Caesarscreek township.
Having been but twelve years of age when his parents moved to the farm at Middletons Corners, James G. Conklin there grew to manhood and remained there until his marriage at the age of twenty-eight, when he bought a farm of one hundred acres in that township. Two years later he bought the Hussey farm of two hundred acres in Jefferson township, a mile south of Bowersville, and has since resided there, having made many improvements on the place, including the erection of a nine-room house. Mr. Conklin is now living retired from active farm labor. He is one of the stockholders of the Bowersville bank.
Mr. Conklin has been twice married, and by his first wife, who was Kate Hussey, has two daughters, Mrs. Ream, wife of Doctor Ream, of Bowers-
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ville, and Mary, wife of Harvey Wilson, of Cleveland, Ohio. Following the death of the mother of these daughters, Mr. Conklin married Alice Elliott, of the Bellbrook neighborhood, and to this union four children were born, Zora, wife of Clyde Sutton, of Dayton; Guy, who married Ruth Sheeley and is farming in New Jasper township; Dorothy, who is now attending Wilmington College, and Robert, at home. Mrs. Conklin and her children are members of the Christian church at Bowersville. Mr. Conklin is a Repub- lican. He formerly was connected with the Odd Fellows fraternity.
ARTHUR UPTON CONFER.
Arthur Upton Confer, the owner of a farm of one hundred and sixty- four acres on the Dayton pike in Miami township, was born on that farm on July 21, 1867, son of George and Ann (Johnson) Confer, the latter of whom also was born in this county, and who spent their last days in the village of Yellow Springs, to which place they moved upon their retirement from the farm in 1891.
George Confer was a native of Maryland, born at Hagerstown, in Wash- ington county, that state, February 8, 1827, and was but seven years of age when he came to this state with his parents, George and Elizabeth ( Bow- man) Confer, in 1834, the family locating on a farm of one hundred and fifty acres in Miami township, this county, where the Confers ever since have been represented. The elder George Confer gradually added to his holdings until he became one of the leading landowners thereabout, thus having been enabled to give to each of his children a farm. Originally a Whig, he became a Republican upon the organization of the latter party. He was a member of the German Reformed church and his wife was a Lutheran. He died in 1857, he then being seventy-two years of age, and his widow survived him twelve years, her death occurring at Xenia, to which city she had moved after the death of her husband. They were the parents of five children, Hannah, William G., George, Susan and Elizabeth.
As noted above, the junior George Confer was but seven years of age when he came from Maryland to this county with his parents in 1834 and he received his schooling in the district school which for many years after the settlement of his parents there was known as the Confer school in Miami township. Upon reaching manhood he continued to make his home on the home place and after their father's death in 1857 he and his brother Will- iam continued farming that place, in partnership, but two or three years later the partnership was dissolved and George Confer bought more land adjoin- ing the tract which his father had given him in that township and after his marriage in the spring of 1861 established his home on the latter place and
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there continued engaged in farming and stock raising until his retirement thirty years later, in 1891, and removal to Yellow Springs, where he and his wife spent their last days, her death occurring there on March 12, 1913, and his, June 12, 1917. Mr. Confer was a Republican and had served the public in the capacity of township supervisor and as director of his school district. He and his wife were members of the Reformed church.
On May 2, 1861, in Miami township, George Confer was united in marriage to Ann Johnson, who was born in that township on April 15, 1841, daughter of James and Catherine (Ehrler) Johnson, the former of whom was born in Kentucky and the latter in France, who were married in Clark county, this state, and later came down into Greene county and located on a farm in Miami township. There Mrs. Johnson died in 1849. Mr. Johnson married again and continued to make his home in Miami township, where his death occurred in 1890. To George and Ann (Johnson) Confer were born six children, namely: Mary Etta, who married Joseph Vernanda Shoemaker, a merchant at Goes; George Albert, who married Anna Fogel and continues farming in Miami township; Arthur U., the immediate subject of this bio- graphical sketch: William W., of Yellow Springs, who has been twice mar- ried, his first wife having been Zella Fogel and his second Lillie Powers; Howard T., who married Nora Ginneman and is engaged in the blacksmith business at Xenia, and Susan, who married John Conrad, a Springfield butcher, and died on June 7, 1905.
Arthur U. Confer grew up on the farm on which he now lives, two and a half miles west of the village of Yellow Springs, and has always been a farmer. He received his schooling in the local schools and after his mar- riage in 1891 established his home on the old home place, his parents retir- ing to the village about that time, and he ever since has made his home there. On November 10, 1917. Mr. Confer bought the remaining interests in the old home place and is now the sole owner of the same. He has for years made a specialty of the raising of pure-bred live stock and Mrs. Confer has for a long time given particular attention to the production of poultry. Among the numerous evidences of the aboriginal occupancy of this beautiful valley of the Miamis, detailed reference to which is made in the historical section of this work, there is on the Confer farm a well-defined Indian burial ground, evidently established by the Shawnees who formerly roamed up and down this valley and had their habitation here.
On January 13, 1891, Arthur U. Confer was united in marriage to Clara K. Miller, who also was born in this county, July 13, 1868, daughter of Israel and Jane (Arthur) Miller, of the Osborn neighborhood, the former of whom died in 1900 and the latter, in 1906, and to this union have been born four children, namely: Florence Ann, born on August 16, 1896, who
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