USA > Ohio > Greene County > History of Greene County, Ohio: its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 89
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one of the Gerlaugh farms in the Alpha neighborhood. In 1857 he bought a farm of two hundred and twenty-one acres on the Dayton-Xenia pike in Beavercreek township, the place now owned and occupied by his son, George F. Ferguson, and was getting the same in the way of development when he died in 1861, leaving his widow with six small children, the eldest of whom, the subject of this sketch, was but thirteen years of age. In that same year all these children were stricken with diphtheria and two of them, John, aged seven, and Charles, aged ten, died. The others besides the subject of this sketch were George F., a biographical sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume; Jane, wife of John Kable, of Sugarcreek township, and Robert H., a clerk on the Miami Conservancy Board at Dayton. The Widow Fergu- son did not remarry. She kept her family together, superintended the devel- opment of the home farm and there continued to make her home until lier death in February, 1898. She was a member of the Reformed church and her children were reared in the faith of that communion.
William W. Ferguson from the days of his boyhood was his widowed mother's mainstay in the affairs of the farm and as the eldest of her children early took charge of the management of the place. After his marriage in 1871 he established his home there and there continued to reside until after his mother's death in 1898, when, in 1899, he bought the Moler farm of one hundred and forty-eight acres on the Shoups Mill road in Beavercreek town- ship, enlarged the brick house which stood on that place, made other improve- ments and has since made his home there, though now practically retired from the active labors of the farm, the management of the same having been turned over to his sons. He and his wife also own the old Harshman home place of two hundred acres in that neighborhood, the place where Mrs. Fergu- son was born. Mr. Ferguson is a Democrat, was a member of the local school board for several years and for twenty-three years served as justice of the peace in his home township, finally declining to stand for re-election to the office to which his neighbors persistently continued to elect him. He was a member of the commission that had in hand the erection of the Greene county court house in 1901. He is a Royal Arch Mason, affiliated with the blue lodge and the council at Xenia.
On December 21, 1871, William W. Ferguson was united in marriage to Anna M. Harshman, who was born two miles north of Zimmerman in Beavercreek township, daughter of John Harshman, further mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume, and to this union seven children have been born, namely: John H., a mechanic, who married Jennie Bates and now lives at Dayton ; Horace E., better known as Harry, who married Mary Shoup and is assisting in the operation of the home farm: Della, who married William Evans, a Bath township farmer; Anna, at home: Hattie,
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who married Harry Steadman and died at the age of thirty-three years; Robert, who married Bessie Shoup and is living on a part of the home farm, and Samuel, also at home.
JACOB SIPE.
The late Jacob Sipe, who died at his home in Beavercreek township on March 30, 1916, was born in that same township, in the neighborhood of Zimmerman, September 22, 1838, son of John and Elizabeth (Harshman) Sipe, the latter of whom was born in that same neighborhood, a member of one of the pioneer families there, the Harshmans having been among the early settlers about Zimmerman, as. is set out elsewhere in this volume. John Sipe was born in the Mud Run neighborhood in the neighboring county of Clark, in 1812, a son of Francis Sipe and wife, the latter of whom was a Harner, who had come to Ohio from Pennsylvania. After his marriage to Elizabeth Harshman, John Sipe made his home in Greene county, buying a farm of ninety acres near Zimmerman, and there. spent the rest of his life. He also for some time operated the mill that had been erected there by his wife's father. He and his wife were the parents of thirteen children, namely : Mary, who died at the age of seventeen years; Jacob, the subject of this memorial sketch; John, who married Sadie Jones and is living on a farm in Blackford county, Indiana ; Sarah, unmarried, who is living on the home farm with her brother Daniel; George, who married Mary Thomas and is living on a farm in Blackford county, Indiana ; Samuel and William, twins. the former of whom is now living at Dayton and the latter of whom died at the age of fifteen years; Ezra, who died in Michigan; Andrew, who is now living in Paulding county, this state; Mary Catherine, who died at the age of twenty years; Daniel, unmarried, who is still operating the home farm near Zimmer- man ; Levi, deceased, and Oliver, who became a lawyer and spent his last days in Dayton.
Jacob Sipe grew up on the home farm near Zimmerman and in 1868 he and his brothers, George and John, bought fifty acres a mile northeast of Zim- merman. A few years later Jacob Sipe bought his brothers' interests in that place and after his marriage on December 28, 1876, to Clistie Moon, he estab- lished his home there. In 1877 he built a new house on that place and in 1808 remodeled the same and there spent the remainder of his life. Mr. Sipe was a Republican, and for six years served as school director in his district, Two years before his death he became affiliated with the Reformed church. To Jacob Sipe and wife were born four children, namely: Ellen and Edith, twins, the latter of whom died when eleven days old and the former of whom is still living with her mother on the home farm; Oliver, a carpenter, now living at Dayton, who married Minnie Coy and has two children, Harold and
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Carl; and Harry, also a carpenter, now living at Latonia, Kentucky, who married Edith Cummins and has seven children, Hazel, Ruth, Grace, Elva, Harry, Esther and Helen.
Since the death of her husband Mrs. Sipe has continued to make her home on the farm. She was born in Blackford county, Indiana, daughter of Harrison and Ellen (Swift) Moon, the latter of whom was born in Ireland and was two years of age when her parents came to this country with their family and located in Fayette county, this state. Ellen Swift's mother's maiden name was Hannah Stafford. Harrison Moon was born in the vicinity of Harper's Ferry, Virginia, March 12, 1818, son of Reese and Elizabeth (Ladd) Moon, and was but a child when his parents came to Ohio and settled in Fayette county, where he grew up on a farm and married Ellen Swift. Reese Moon was born in Wales about the year 1794. About 1845 Harrison Moon moved to Blackford county, Indiana, bought a farm about two miles from Hartford City, and there he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives. They were Methodists and were the parents of eight children, of whom but three are now living, Mrs. Sipe having two brothers, John and Hugh Moon, now living retired at Hartford City, Indiana.
WILLIAM F. COSTENBORDER.
William F. Costenborder, formerly and for years a railway engineer in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railway Company and for the past fifteen years or more the proprietor of a farm on which he makes his home in Beavercreek township, was born in that township on June 9, 1862, son of Jacob and Catherine (Shoup) Costenborder, both of whom were born in that same township, members of pioneer families. Jacob Costenborder was born on March 21, 1828, and remained in this county until the time of his retirement from the farm, when he moved to California, where his last days were spent. His wife died in 1908. She was born in 1834. They were the parents of seven children, of whom William F. was the third in order of birth, the others being Martha, deceased; Samuel J., who is now living at Dayton; Mrs. Anna Bosley, also of Dayton ; Mrs. Lillie Archer, of Belmont, this state ; Mrs. Ida Archer, of Beavercreek township, and Chester, of Dayton.
Reared on the home farm in Beavercreek township, William F. Costen- border received his schooling in the common schools and remained at home, assisting in the labors of the farm, until he was twenty-six years of age, when he entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railway Company and in due time became a locomotive engineer, a vocation he continued to follow until he decided to return to farming. On November 4, 1902, Mr. Costen- border bought the farm of fifty acres on which he is now living in Beaver-
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creek township and has ever since made his home there. Mr. Costenborder is a Republican and is affiliated with the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias. He and his wife are members of the Reformed church.
On September 15, 1897, William F. Costenborder was united in mar- riage to Maude Alexander, of the Xenia neighborhood, a daughter of George and Jennie (Long) Alexander, the latter of whom is still living, who were the parents of four children, those besides Mrs. Costenborder being Blanch- ard, who is now a resident of Indiana; Charles, who is living in Iowa, and Mrs. May Sutton, of Yellow Springs, this county. A child born to Mr. and Mrs. Costenborder died in infancy.
CHARLES M. BURR.
Charles M. Burr, the proprietor of a farm east of Jamestown in Silver- creek township and the operator of a four-hundred-acre farm of the McClin- tock estate in that township, is a native son of this county, born on a farmi north of Bowersville, in Jefferson township, January 1, 1874, son of William H. and Flora B. (Hussey) Burr, both of whom are still living, residents of the Bowersville neighborhood, and further mention of whom is made else- where in this volume.
Reared on the home farm, Charles M. Burr received his schooling in what then was known as the Compton school and as the eldest son early assumed responsibilities in connection with the operation of the farm, for 1 some time being in practical charge of the home farm, but after his marriage he rented a farm south of Bowersville and there lived for a couple of years, at the end of which time he bought a tract of seventy acres east of Jamestown in Silvercreek township, later adding to that tract an adjoining tract of six- teen acres, and there he lived until 1917, when he took charge of the McClin- tock farm of four hundred acres in that same township and has since been operating the same in addition to looking after the details of management on his own farm. In addition to his general farming Mr. Burr is giving con- siderable attention to the raising of live stock, both cattle and hogs.
On February 23, 1898, Charles M. Burr was united in marriage to Della Bailey, who was born in Silvercreek township, daughter of Daniel M. and Flora (Glass) Bailey, both members of old families in this county and fur- ther mention of whom is made elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Burr are members of the Church of Christ at Jamestown. Mr. Burr is a member of the local lodge of the Knights of Pythias (Cyclone lodge) and he and his wife are both affiliated with the lodge of the Pythian Sisters. Mr. Burr is a Republican, as is his father and as was his grandfather.
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GEORGE GRANT MILLER.
George Grant Miller, a Beavercreek township farmer and dairyman and proprietor of a farm of ninety-two acres on rural mail route No. 4 out of Osborn, was born in this county, December 2, 1868, son of Reuben and Mary Ann (Tobias) Miller, both of whom also were born in this county, members of pioneer families. Reuben Miller was born on April 2, 1836, and his wife was born in 1840. They were married in 1867 and to them were born four sons, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born, the others being William, deceased; Edward, now a resident of Dayton, and Lewis, who is living at Fairfield.
Reared on the home farm, George G. Miller received his schooling in the district school in the vicinity of the farm on which he is now living, and early began practical farming, continuing thus engaged after his marriage in 1899. Recently he bought the farm of ninety-two acres on which he is now living and is steadily improving the same, with a view to giving par- ticular attention to the raising of big-type Poland China hogs. Mr. Miller is a Republican.
On April 2, 1899, George G. Miller was united in marriage to Edith Williamson, who also was born in this county, daughter of Edward J. and Martha (Roher) Williamson, of Beavercreek township, who were the par- ents of six children, those besides Mrs. Miller being Bertha, deceased; George, who is living at Shoups Station; Chester, of Dayton; Frank, of Chicago, and one deceased.
WILLIAM H. ARTHUR.
William H. Arthur, proprietor of a Cedarville township farm on rural mail route No. I out of Cedarville, was born on a farm in the vicinity of the village of South Charleston, in the neighboring county of Clark, October 7, 1863, son of Christopher C. and Elizabeth (Watkins) Arthur, both of whom also were born in the South Charleston neighborhood, members of pioneer families in that community, and who spent all their lives there, both being now deceased. Among Christopher C. Arthur's land holdings was the farm of one hundred and eighty-six acres in Cedarville township now owned and occupied by his son, William H. Arthur, the subject of this sketch. The latter is the eldest of the three sons born to his parents, the others being John Arthur, now a resident of Springfield, this state, and Edgar Arthur, who owns and occupies the old home farm in Madison township, Clark county.
Reared on the home farm just above referred to, William H. Arthur received his schooling in the district school in that neighborhood and in the
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schools of South Charleston and he remained at home until he was twenty- five years of age, when, in 1888, he took charge of the farm his father had bought in Cedarville township, this county, and has ever since been operat- ing the same, having established his home there after his marriage in 1892. When his father died in 1908 Mr. Arthur bought the interests of the other heirs in that place and has since made improvements on the same.
On November 26, 1892, William H. Arthur was united in marriage to Florence N. Sellers, who was born on a farm about a mile from where she is now living, daughter of Albert and Harriet (Johnson) Sellers, and to this union one child has been born, a son, Howard. Mr. Arthur is a Republican.
LEANDER SPAHR.
Leander Spahr, proprietor of a Spring Valley township farm on the lower Bellbrook pike, five miles west of Xenia, was born in that township on January 23, 1855, son of Elijah and Ann (McKay) Spahr, the latter of whom was a daughter of Jesse Mckay, both the Spahrs and the Mckays being old families in Greene county.
Elijah Spahr was born in Hardy county, Virginia, in February, 1816, and was twelve years of age when he came with his parents to Greene county, the family establishing their home here. He early learned the woodworker's trade and in the days of his young manhood was engaged in making plows and fanning mills in the Philip Pagett factory. He married Mrs. Ann McKnight, widow of James McKnight and daughter of Jesse Mckay and who by her first marriage was the mother of four children, all of whom lived to maturity. After his marriege Elijah Spahr resided for a time on the James McKnight farm in Spring Valley township and later bought the farm of two hundred and two acres in that same township on which he spent the remainder of his life. Upon taking possession of that place he made a clearing and during the early '6os erected a frame house, mainly of walnut, on the place. There Elijah Spahr died in 1893, he then being seventy-six years of age. His wife died at the age of sixty-eight. To them were born seven children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the third in order of birth, the others being the following: Angeline, who died at the age of twenty-three years ; Lavina, deceased, who was the wife of Philip Peterson; Rebecca E., who died at the age of twenty-three years: Martha, who also died when twenty- three years of age; Leroy, who became engaged in mercantile pursuits at Dayton and died in 1906, and Ella, wife of L. Arthur Babb, a farmer of Spring Valley township.
Leander Spahr was born on the old McKnight farm and was but a child when his parents moved to the place on which they spent the remainder of
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their lives. He received his schooling in the Richland school and after his school days were over continued on the farm and after his father's death was made the executor of the estate. In 1905 Mr. Spahr bought the old Bingham place of fifty acres in Spring Valley township and has since made his home there. Mr. Spahr is a Republican and for five years was president of the local school board. Since he was eighteen years of age he has been a member of the Richland Methodist Episcopal church and for thirty-five years and more has been the superintendent of the Sunday School there. He also has held other offices in the church, was for some time member of the board of trustees and for some time class leader. Mr. Spahr formerly was a member of the Grange and is now a member of the Junior Order of United American Mechanics.
MARTIN A. OSTER.
Martin A. Oster, who has been engaged in the hardware and implement business at Yellow Springs for many years, is a son of Adam and Ennia (Fleckenstein) Oster, and was born on a farm near Xenia on February 23, 1864
Adamı Oster also was born in this county, his birth having occurred in 1834 at Byron. After reaching manhood he took up farming, which occu- pation he followed all his life. In 1861 he married Emma Fleckenstein, who was a native of Germany and who had come to this county as a child with her parents To this union were born four children, Martin A., the inime- diate subject of this review; John, who is engaged in the grocery business in Yellow Springs; George, a resident of Dayton, where he is engaged in the cafe business and Anna, who died in infancy. At the age of twenty-six years, Adam Osler settled on a farm near Xenia, where he remained for three years, after which he moved to a farm about four miles west of Yellow Springs, where he spent the remainder of his life, his death occurring there in 1884. His wife's death occurred in the previous year.
Martin A. Oster was only one year old at the time his parents moved from the farni near Xenia to the home place west of Yellow Springs, and he was reared to the life of a farmer. After living on the farm for some years after his marriage, he decided to engage in the hardware and implement busi- ness, and on November 5, 1899, moved to Yellow Springs, where he opened up a store in this line on Dayton street, and has been continuously thus en- gaged since that time.
On August 17, 1886, Martin A. Oster was united in marriage with Anna Hornick, a native of this county, daughter of Sebastian H. and Eliza- beth Hornick, and to this union have been born six children: Edward, unmarried, living in Yellow Springs; Emma, who died in infancy ; Mamie,
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a teacher in the public schools at Yellow Springs; Lena, living at home with her parents; Tresia, who teaches in the county schools, and Paul, who is a student in the public school. The family are members of the Catholic church. Mr. Oster holds membership with- Eagle Lodge No. 397, at Springfield. In politics, he is independent.
GEORGE ANDERSON, M. D.
Dr. George Anderson, who for the past twenty-five years has been engaged in the practice of his profession at Alpha, and who also is the owner of a farm in the neighborhood of his home village, on which he gives consider- able attention to the raising of swine for breeding purposes, is a native son of Ohio and has lived in this state all his life. He was born near the banks of the Muskingum river in Morgan county, a son of Curtis and Mary Ann (Singer) Anderson, both of whom also were born in this state, natives of Harrison county, and the latter of whom is still living in the last-named county.
Curtis Anderson was born in 1832, his parents having been among the early settlers of Harrison county, this state, having come over into Ohio from Pennsylvania. He early learned the trade of sawyer and after his marriage moved down into Morgan county, where he set up a steam saw-mill and began to cut out the virgin forest along the banks of the Muskingum in the neighborhood of the point at which he had settled, finding a ready mar- ket for his lumber at Zanesville. He presently went back to Harrison county, where he bought a farm of two hundred and twenty-five acres and spent the rest of his life there, his death occurring in 1908. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as is his widow, and was a Republican. His widow, who is still living on the home farm in Harrison county, was born in 1836. To Curtis and Mary A. (Singer) Anderson were born four sons, of whom Doctor Anderson is the youngest, the others being John S. and H. C., who are continuing to operate the home farm in Harrison county, and Lincoln, who is the owner of a farm in that same neighborhood.
George Anderson was two years of age when his parents moved from Morgan county to Harrison county and he was reared on the home farm in the latter county, receiving his elementary schooling in the schools of that neighborhood and supplementing the same by a course in Franklin College, from which institution he was graduated in 1888. In the meantime he had been reading medicine and upon leaving college took a formal course of reading along that line under the preceptorship of Dr. J. A. Magrew at New Athens. Thus equipped by preparatory study he entered the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Baltimore and was graduated from that institu-
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tion in 1891 with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. In 1893 Doctor Ander- son came to Greene county and bought out the old established practice of Dr. J. A. McClure at Alpha, as well as Doctor McClure's home on the corner where the Dayton-Xenia pike passes the village, and has ever since made his home there. In 1899 Doctor Anderson took a course in the New York Post-Graduate Medical School. He is a member of the Greene County Medical Society and of the Ohio State Medical Society. The Doctor owns a farm in Sugarcreek township and has for some time been engaged there in raising pure-bred registered O. I. C. hogs for stock purposes, though not permitting this diversion to interfere with his practice. The Doctor is a Republican and for four years was a member of the township board of education.
On December 25, 1891, at Columbus, this state, Dr. George Anderson was united in marriage to Winifred J. Barrett, who was born in Harrison county, this state, but who was living at Columbus at the time of her mar- riage, and to this union two children have been born, a son and a daughter, Horace Wilson and Winifred Annette, the latter of whom was graduated from the Beavercreek township high school and is at home. Prof. Horace Wilson Anderson, M. A., now teaching at Zimmerman, this county, was born in March, 1894, and upon completing the course in the Beavercreek township high school entered Antioch College, from which he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Arts and from which he later received his Master degree.
ALFRED LOY.
Alfred Loy, a soldier of the Civil War, who for many years has been a resident of the village of Bellbrook and who has served as postmaster, as mayor, as councilman, as marshal and as an officer of that village in other public capacities, is a native son of Ohio and has lived in this state all his life. . He was born in the vicinity of Centerville, in the neighboring county of Mont- gomery, November 26, 1837, son of Jacob T. and Rachel (Bankson) Loy, whose last days were spent in this state, the latter dying on September II, 1858, and the former, in April, 1887.
Jacob T. Loy was a native Hoosier, born in the then Territory of Indi- ana, January 1, 1816, and who later came to Ohio. 'At Waynesville, this state, in 1837, he married Rachel Bankson, who was born in the state of New Jersey on June 27, 1817, and who was but a girl when her parents moved from that state with their family to Ohio. After his marriage Jacob T. Loy located in Montgomery county and a few years later moved over into Preble county and it was in this latter county that the subject of this sketch spent his youth. Jacob T. Loy and wife were the parents of ten children,
(51)
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those besides the subject of this sketch being the following: Peter W. B., who is now living at Peru, Indiana; Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Hart, of Darke county, this state; Catherine A., deceased; Francis A., now a resident of Morgan county, Kentucky; Jacob H., deceased; Mrs. Sarah Jane Walker, of Darke county, this state, and Rachel C., Letta Maria and Melissa E., deceased.
Alfred Loy was but a small boy when he moved with his parents from Montgomery county to Preble county and in the latter county he received his schooling. He early became more or less dependent upon his own efforts, for before he was eleven years of age he left the home farm and for two years thereafter worked on the farm of another "for his board and keep" in order to gain the advantage of better schooling than was afforded in his home district. Upon leaving school he learned the trade of brickmaker and bricklayer and was thus engaged for seven years. In 1862 he married and afterward began farming and was thus engaged when in January, 1865, he enlisted for service in the Union army during the Civil War and was attached to General Thomas's brigade, with the Army of the Cumberland, and served with this command until he reached his final discharge in September, 1865. During his absence at the front his wife made her home at Bellbrook and upon the completion of his military service he returned to Bellbrook and has lived there and in that neighborhood ever since. For some time he was engaged in saw-mill work and in threshing-machine work and for three years lived on a farm, but about forty years ago left the farm and returned to Bell- brook, where he has since remained. During the administration of President Harrison Mr. Loy was appointed postmaster of Bellbrook and for eight years occupied that position. He also served for several years as a member of the village council, was for three months mayor of the village, filling a vacancy in that office, and has also served as constable, marshal and about all the other offices connected with the local administration of affairs in his home town. Mr. Loy is a Republican, a member of W. H. Bird Post, Grand Army of the Republic, at Spring Valley, a member of the Grange and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, as was his wife, and has for many' years been an office bearer in his church, having served as class leader, as steward, as a trustee and as superintendent of the Sunday school.
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