History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 172

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096

USA > Ohio > Knox County > History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present > Part 172

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Mrs. Struble is living with her son, John S., in Berlin town- ship.

STRUBLE, DAVID W., Fredericktown, retired from busi- ness, was born in Wayne township, this country, in 1841; was

married in 1866 to Anne Cummings, who was born in Rich- land county in 1844 He was a soldier in the late war, a mem- ber of company B. Second New York cavalry, and was in the service over three years.

Mr. Struble has been engaged in the mercantile business for some time, but has retired from all business pursuits.

STUDER, DAVID, Morris township, farmer, post office, Fredericktown, was born in Bedford county, Pennsylvania, in 1825; emigrated with his parents to Ohio in 1830, and was mar- ried in 1858 to Rebecca Ebersole, who was born in this county in 1833. They have three children-Byron, born in 1859; Albert, in 1864; and Castilla, in 1866.

Mr. Studer's parents first located in Fairfield county, Ohio; also resided in Holmes and Wayne counties, and then came to Knox county. He has since been a resident of this county, and owns a beautiful farm in this township, with fine improve- ments.

STULL, MARTIN, farmer and stock raiser, Miller town- ship, was born in 'Greene county, Pennsylvania, August 2, 1828 He is the son of George and Elizabeth Stull, deceased, who came to Ohio in 1833, and resided for about seven years in Mil- ford township, when they came to Miller townthip. They had ten children, viz: Mary, Elizabeth, Catharine, Abram, Martin, Philip, Isaac, Sarah Ann, Lucinda, and Lucina, of whom Mary, Elizabeth, and Philip have since died. Mr. Stull was reared on a farm, and was educated at the district shool. In April, 1861, he enlisted in company H, Fourth Ohio volunteer infantry, and was in several of the engagements in West Virginia, and in the army of the Potomac. He suffered considerable while in the army from chronic diseases, which greatly impaired his health. He was discharged with his regiment. Mr. Stull entered the army upon patriotic principles. Nothing can deter him from expressing his sentiments on the political issues of the day. He is a Democrat from principle, and is well informed upon the policies of the two great parties. Mr. Stull started in life poor, but with a determination to succeed; he has gained the object of his determination. He is a man of strict integrity, and his word is regarded as "good as gold." He has a beautiful home. He was married to Miss Magdalene Ilgenfritz, December 10, 1867. They had seven children, three of whom died in infancy.

STULL, PHILIP, was born in 1840 in Millwood, Knox county, Ohio. He was married to Melissa Darling on the 'seventeenth of November, 1865. Mrs. Stull was born in 1847. They have had five children, viz: William, born July 13, 1866, and died July 23, 1866; Ida May, born July 4, 1867; Sherman, born October 2, 1869; Eliza D., born October 15, 1871; Sam- uel, born February 4, 1874, and died July 6, 1874.

Mr. Stull was a member of company F, One Hundred and Twenty-first regiment, Ohio volunteer infantry, enlisting in 1862, and served about three years and until the war was over. Mr. Stull was wounded at Perryville, Kentucky; he was also in the engagements at Crab Orchard. Kentucky; Campbellsville, Kentucky; Chickamauga, Kennesaw Mountain, also in Sher- man's march to the sea.

STURGES, FRED D., cashier of the First National bank of Mt. Vernon, was born in Zanesville, Muskingum county, June 1, 1833, where he received a preparatory education, entered Marietta college, and graduated in 1851; came to Mt. Vernon in 1853, and engaged in banking, where he has since lived. He was formerly engaged in a bank at Zanesville and at New- ark.

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

STYERS, JACOB, of Mt. Vernon, was born in Greenwich township, Warren county, New Jersey, October 31, 1813, about two miles from Easton, Pennsylvania, the Delaware river being the boundary line between the two States. His education was received in the common schools of that day. He has been a hard worker from his youth up to old age, enjoying good health through life. At the early age of nine years he left his father's house and commenced work on the farm of Mr John Lance, with whom he continued six years. His father. John Styers, was the father of ten children, eight sons and two daughters, Jacob, the subject of this sketch, being the second child. All are living except two of the sons, one of whom died while quite young, and the other was drowned in Wisconsin. The parents are both dead.

In 1832, after leaving the Lance farm, Mr. Styers went south and engaged with his brother Daniel, a carpenter, who had been employed by a New York company to erect houses in the town of St. Joseph, located by them on St. Joe's bay, Florida. Here he remained about one year, when he returned to his father's home in New Jersey. On May 31, 1838. he married Miss Elizabeth A. Andrews, daughter of Mr. Jacob B. Andrews, of Warren county, New Jersey, by whom he had three children: Sarah Ann, who married William A. Rose; Jacob M., who married Miss Callie C. Reed, to whom one child was born, a daughter, and James W., who married Miss Olla Jadden, to whom three children have been born.

Mr. Styers came to Knox county with the family of his father- in-law, Mr. Andrews, September, 1846. Mr. Styers engaged with the late Samuel F. Voorhies to work on his farm in Clin- ton township, now owned by the heirs of Jacob B. Andrews, where he worked one year when Mr. Voorhies sold the farm and came to Mt. Vernon, retaining Mr. Styers in his employ with whom he remained six years. Mr. Styers' next employment was at the foundry of General C. P. Buckingham as general teamster, where he remained for six years and until 1859. For the last few years Mr. Styers has been in the employ of Mr. Charles A. Bope, an extensive coal merchant.

SUTTON, GIDEON, Hilliar township, retired farmer, was born in Licking county, December 24, 1807. His father, Jehu Sutton, was born in Uniontown, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, September 8, 1777. He was married in the year 1801, and in 1804 came to Licking county, being among the early settlers.

He was lieutenant of a company of soldiers during the War of 1812, and went to Upper Sandusky to protect the frontier from the devastations of the Indians. He was esteemed by all who knew him.

He was a consistent member of the Old School Baptist church for many years, and died at the ripe old age of nearly eighty-eight years. His aged companion died some years later, at the age of ninety-six years. Thus passed away two of Licking county's first and most influential settlers.

They did not live in vain. They left their impress on the minds and hearts of their family, who grew up to be useful and influential citizens.

Gideon was one of their sons. We learn from him that he spent his youth on his father's farm. After leaving home he engaged in cutting stone for the National road, which was then being built. He subsequently contracted for stone work in Newark and surrounding country, in which he was successful.

In the fall of 1834 he came to Hilliar township, Knox county,

and the following spring he moved on the farm he now occu- pies. His first abode on the farm was a cabin near his present dwelling. This he occupied until 1839, when he built his pres- ent dwelling. He has been successful in making for himself a competence.

He was elected justice of the peace in 1841, and held the office until 1847. He is a man of good judgment, social and conge- nial, and makes all who call upon him feel at home.

We are indebted to him for an article entitled Centreburgh, its Past and Present, which he had written some years previous, and which he kindly lent us.

He was married to Miss Eliza Shaver, of Licking county, March 8, 1832. They have therefore been together for over forty-nine years. They had four children born to them, viz: Rebecca, married to David N. Potter; Jasper N., and Joseph S., and Samantha A., married to Dr. W. S. Pollard.

SUTTON, DAVID A., Hilliar township, farmer, was born in Licking county, Ohio, December 31, 1826. His parents were Elijah and Nancy Sutton, nee Gillespie, born respectively July 24, 1802, and January 8, 1799. They were married Feb- ruary 12, 1824. They had two children, one of whom died when young. Mrs. Sutton dying, he married Sarah Stone- braker, June 4, 1829. They had six children. Mr. Sutton died November 12, 1872, his wife dying some years previous.

Mr. Sutton was from Greene county, Pennsylvania, came to Ohio with his parents, and was a stone-cutter by trade. The subject of this notice, after the death of his mother, and when about eighteen months old, was taken by his grandfather, David Gillespie, and by him reared until about eighteen years old, when he went to his Grandfather Sutton's, where he remained several years. June 10, 1851, he was married to Miss Sarah Emery, and in 1853 they moved to Hilliar township, where he purchased the farm on which he now resides. Mrs. Sutton was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania. Mr. Sutton is a good farmer, a man of fine social qualities, and is respected by the community. They have had three children, all sons, viz: Elijah, Ellmore, and Allen K.

SWANK, GEORGE, Pike township, farmer, post office, North Liberty, was born in Pike township, Knox county, in 1825, on the same farm he now resides. In 1851 he was mar- ried to Nancy Gilmore, who was born in Pike township in 1829. They had the following children: Christain, born in 1854; Mary Ellen, in 1856; Eliza Alice, in 1858; John, in 1866, and Amanda, in 1868.

Christian Swank was married in 1880 to Irena Garber. Mary Ellen Swank was married to Simeon Betchel in 1877. Mr. and Mrs. Swank are both members of pioneer families. He now owns the old homestead, a farm that was improved and cleared up by the Swank family.

SWETLAND, H. C., dry goods merchant, corner of Main and Gambier streets, Mt. Vernon, was born in Morrow county April 7, 1855, where he resided until he was sixteen years old, and during which he attended school, and assisted his father who was a merchant in the store. He then came to Mt. Ver- non, and entered the employ of J. C. Swetland as salesman, where, in appreciation of his abilities and faithfulness, he was retained until 1880, when he bought out his employer, and has since been conducting the business himself. He commenced with a stock of about fifteen thousand dollars, and has been doing a successful business. He now has a stock of about sixteen thousand dollars, consisting of foreign and domestic

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

dry goods, notions and fancy goods, and does a business of fron forty to forty-five thousand dollars per year.

Mr. Swetland is a young man of character, energy and ability, and his prospects for the future as a citizen and a busi- ness man are most flattering, as he commands the respect of the public generally.

SWETZER, ALLEN, Berlin township, farmer, post office, Fredericktown, was born in Richland county in 1833, came to this township when a child, and was married in 1862, to Mary Ann Pound. They had three children, viz: Charles M., born in 1865; Marion, in 1867, and an infant, deceased. Mrs. M. Swetzer died in 1867.

Mr Swetzer's second wife was Ruth Ann Kesler, who was born in Pike township in 1837.

SWITZER, JACOB, deceased, Berlin township, was born Berlin town.shit 'is county, in 1836, and was married in 857, to Alvira Hug .es, who was born in Berlin township, this unty, in 1830. w han four children: Hiram MI , born in

Fre- 1862, and Wile + in . a luied Janui. y 24, 1804.

Mr. Switzer studied medicine with Dr. Ring, of Frederick- town, and attended lectures in Cleveland. He engaged in the practice of medicine in Sparta, Morrow county, and in 1836 located in Fredericktown, where he remained until the time of his death. He was a member of the Disciple church.

Hiram M. was married December 29, 1880, to Miss Minnie Gibson. He has been engaged in teaching school in this county for about four years.

Clayton Switzer is teaching school in district No. 4, and is a very promising young man.

Dr. Switzer died March 17, 1867.

SCHINDLER, JACOB, owner and proprietor of the Danville Vorriage and Wagon works. These works were established in r875, in the Collins building, where he carried on the business of blacksmiting, carriage and wagon making, until 1877, when he erected his present shop, in which he is manufacturing all kinds of wagons, carriages, sleighs, etc. Prompt attention given to re- pairing of all kinds.

TABOR CHARLES R., Middlebury township, farmer, post office, Fredericktown, born in Ruiland county, Vermont, in Jou, came to Fredericktown in 1824, and was married, in 1858, Eliza Tooman, who was born in Pennsylvania. They have ke following children: Alonzo .i., born December 25, 1862; Mary J., November 22, 1860; Erie Smeadley, March 16, 1865; Charles R., jr., March 11, 1867.

Mr. Tabor left this county in 1852, and settled in Cedar county, Iowa, remained there eleven years and then returned to Middlebury, and has continued to make that his home ever since. His father, Alanson Tabor, was born in New York, and came to Fredericktown, Knox county, Ohio, in 1824, re- mained there for one year, and then moved to Berlin township, where he died at the age of eighty-three years.

TAFT, H. C. & SON, booksellers, stationers, and circulat- 'ng library, Main street, between Vine and Gambier streets, Mt. Vernon. Mr. Taft is a native of Northbridge, Massachusetts, horn April 12, 1815. In 1830 his parents moved five miles Juth, to Uxbridge, where he resided with them ten years. He . as married June 12, 339, to Miss Catharine Grout, daughter

of Colonel Moses Grout, of Westborough, Massachusetts. They had a family of four children, one only of whom is living, J. Grout Taft, born June 11, 1846. Mr. Taft, in consequence of his health failing, emigrated to Georgia in 1854, and located at Hawkinsville, where he engaged in the mercantile business, in which he continued four years. Finding his health consider- ably improved, he sold out and returned home; and finding his wife's health rapidly declining, he took her west, with a view of her recuperation, but the seeds of death were too deeply rooted, and she died at Chicago in 1850. Mr. Taft brought her back, and her body was interred in the family tomb.

In 1854, failing health again compelled him to seek a warmer climate, and he returned to Georgia and located at Millidge- ville, where he remained two and a half years. After which, in April, 1856, he emigrated to Ohio, and located at Mt. Vernon, being attracted thither by the educational advantages afforded by Kenyon college, he having a son, Cheney Taft, that he wished to educate. The boy attended Kenyon college about three months, when he sustained injuries in a game of foot-ball which led to a dise se that proved fatal J buary 5 1857

Mr. Taft married Miss Sophia Parkman, daughter of Hon. Charles Parkman, of Westborough, Massachusetts, by whom he had two children, one of whom, C. Parkman Taft, is living, and was born in Mt. Vernon, July 11, 1856. Mr. Taft engaged here in the cultivation of market produce, in which he contin- ued eleven years. He then engaged in the book business, un- der the firm name of H. C. Taft & Son, J. Grout Taft being the junior member. He has always been his father's assistant in business, and is a young man of energy and ability. Although he was so unfortunate as to lose his left arm some years ago, it is interesting to see with what dexterity and expedition he man- ages to wait upon their large custom. The second son, C. Parkman Taft, is of a classical turn of mind, and is preparing for the ministry. He graduated at Racine college, Wisconsin, in the class of 1877, taking the highest honors, being selected to deliver the valedictory for his class. Messrs. Taft & Son have an extensive business, and carry a large stock of miscella- neous books, all of which are of a high grade of literature, and are the productions of the best authors. They keep in stock a large assortment of school books, pictures, picture frames, mu- sical instruments, sheet music, brackets, and all the latest and most popular periodicals of the day. They have also a circu- lating library of about one thousand three hundred volumes, which consists of the most interesting and instructive miscella- neous publications of the period, among which every lover of reading will find that which will be pleasing to them, and at a very trifling expense. Their entire stock is first-class, and their circulating library is the only one in the city.

TARR, JOHN H., was born in Fayette county, Pennsyl- vania, February 14, 1801, and was married to Miss Hannah Price in 1824, and reared a family of nine children, seven of whom are now living.

Mr. Tarr emigrated to Ohio in 1850, and settled in Liberty township, Knox county, on a farm, where he lived until 1868, when he retired from business, but still made that his home until his death, May 9, 1872.

Mrs. Tarr is still living. Alexander B., the seventh member of the family was born in December, 1837; was educated at the district school, after which he followed farming until 1869, when he came to Mt. Vernon and engaged in the grocery busi- ness. In consequence of bad health, after being four years in

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.

the business, he sold out, since which he has been engaged in various kinds of business.

Alexander B. was married October 31, 1867, to Miss Maria Hyatt, by whom he has a family of three children, two sons and one daughter -- Alexander P., born September 7, 1871; Rizpah N., June 21, 1876; and Philip H., June 15, 1878.

TAVENNER, GEORGE N., farmer, Fredericktown, born in Loudoun county, Virginia, May 25, 1813, and was married January 26, 1836, to Elizabeth Jane Hann, who was born in Loudoun county, Virginia, December 24, 1823. They had eight children-Joseph H., born June 21, 1840, and was married to Linda Rummel, and now lives in California; David, October 2, 1842, and died July 9, 1863; Jerome B., born in Virginia, March 15, 1844, and was married November 25, 1873, to Louisa Auten, and resides in Wayne township, this county; Richard D., born August 15, 1847, and was married January 1, 1874, to Rebecca Auten, and resides in Berlin township; William C., born October 15, 1849, and died May 16, 1867; Rosa E., born March 14, 1853, and was married to James A. Knapp, and re- sides in Marion, Ohio; America, born August 13, 1856; and an infant that died February 28, 1861.

Mr. Tavenner removed to Fredericktown, Knox county, March 28, 1855, and since then has resided in Hardin and Logan, but is now residing in Fredericktown.

TAYLOR, SAMUEL, Mt. Vernon, was born April 16, 1800, at Troy, New York, where he remained until June, 1840, when he came to Mt. Vernon, Ohio, having previously made arrange- ments to take charge of the coopering shops of J. & J. Slocum, where he remained one year when the firm failed and he estab- lished a business for himself, in which he was very successful, doing a very large business. He employed about six hands, and manufactured barrels, meat tubs, butter kegs, etc. In 1870, on account of his age, he gave his son charge of the busi- ness. He was married to Catharine Balson in 1825, by whom he had fourteen children, six of whom are living. Losing his wife, he married November 27, 1853, Isabella Bumpus. Mr. Taylor was one of the oldest citizens of Mt. Vernon, having lived here forty-one years and being eighty-one years old.

TAYLOR, STOUGHTON L., of Mt. Vernon, was born in Saratoga county, New York, March 6, 1822. He was born on a farm. He commenced to work on the farm at quite an early age. His father emigrated to Ohio when the subject of this sketch was about fifteen years of age, and settled in Licking county, where he resided up to the time of his death, his wife surviving him for some years. In 1838 Stoughton went to clerk in a store in Homer, Licking county, and shortly after to Utica, same county, where he remained until 1843. He continued clerking up to 1846, when he commenced business for himself, which he continued for a short time. He went from Utica to Logan county and engaged in business, and also acted as agent for the Knox Mutual insurance company for some nine years. He came to Mt. Vernon and engaged in business here. In 1870 he was elected by the board of directors of the Knox Mutual Fire Insurance company as general agent and adjustor for the company. He has been a member of the board of directors for several years.

Mr. Taylor has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Elizabeth T. Browning, to whom he was married in June, 1849. She was a daughter of the late George Browning. Mr. Brown- ing was born in a block-house in Marietta. He was the son of a daughter of Rufus Putnam. Mr. and Mrs. Taylor had six

children, four of whom are living. Mrs. Taylor died June 6, 1874. He was married June 29, 1876, to Miss Rebecca Rice.

TAYLOR, ALEXANDER, farmer, Middlebury township, post office, Fredericktown, was born in Greene township, Ash- land county, May 8, 1838, and was married April 13, 1862, to Elizabeth Heck, who was born near Holmes county, Ohio. March 30, 1836. They have six children: David W., born Jan- uary 25, 1864; John R., November 26, 1866; Carrie B., March 10, 1868; James, March 19, 1870; Millie Maud E., August 8, 1872; and Eva M., born September 3, 1875.

Mr. Taylor is a son of David Taylor, esq., of Richland county. In 1821 he settled in Greene township, now Ashland county. They first came to Monroe township and remained there till 1844, when they moved to Worthington township. Mr. D. Taylor has been commissioner of Richland county for two terms of three years.

Alexander Taylor came to Middlebury township, Knox coun- ty, Ohio, April 25, 1871, and remained there till the fall of 1880, when he sold out and moved to St. Clair county, Missouri, his post office being Lowery City, St. Clair county, Missouri. Mr. Taylor has been a worthv citizen of this county.

TAYLOR, THOMAS N., farmer, Pleasant township, was born in Logan county, Ohio, August 14, 1844. He was reared a farmer and has made farming his vocation. In 1872 he mar- ried Miss Mary E. Bowman, of same county, born in 1854. They settled in Logan county, where they remained until 1876, when they came to Knox county, purchased and moved on the farm where they are now living in Pleasant township, known as the old Park farm, two miles east of Mt. Vernon.

TAYLOR, JOSEPH W., Mt. Vernon, physician and sur- geon, was born in Wayne county, Ohio, near Wooster, in De- cember, 1849. He remained in the family until about fourteen years of age, when his parents removed to Mt. Vernon. He read medicine with Dr. Jacob Stamp, of Mt. Vernon, for three years-1869, 1870 and 1871. He attended two courses at the medical department of Wooster university, located at Cleve- land, from which he received his diploma. He returned to Mt. Vernon, and practiced with Mr. Stamp in 1871, 1872 and 1873. He then purchased the drug store of Mr. L. Rowley. After the erection of the Curtis house, in 1877, he moved his store to the room in building where he has since remained.

He came first to Mt. Vernon about 1866. He attended school at Kenyon about one year. He was deputy auditor un- der Colonel Alexander Cassil for two years.

He purchased a balf interest in the Mt. Vernon Republican in February, 1881, and is the political editor of said paper.

TEETER, GEORGE L., Brown township, was born in Pike township, Knox county, August 11, 1852, being the eldest son · of John L. and Elvina Teeter.

In 1854 his father removed to a farm in Richland county, re- maining there until 1864, when he sold it and purchased one in Berlin township, known as the Moltsbaugh farm, where he at present resides. George remained at home assisting his father on the farm during the summer and attending school during the winter until he was twenty-one. By the advice of his friends he adopted school teaching as his profession, teaching in the win- ter and working by the month during the summer, in the mean- time purchasing books and reading them so as to better qualify himself for teaching, so that he is now competent to teach all branches commonly taught in common schools, and is well

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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY

versed in many of the higher branches. He is well informed concerning current events, also in matters of history.

In 1877 he united with the Dunkard church, of which he and his wife are still members. In the summer of 1874 he came to Brown township in the employ of Mr. Elisha Ross. On the third of January, 1878, he was united in marriage with Miss Priscilla Dewitt, daughter of Benjamin and Sarah Dewitt, and granddaughter of S. N. C. Workman, since which time he has resided in Brown township. Two children have resulted from his marriage-both daughters. The first was born May II, 1879, and died the same day. The second daughter, Laura, was born June 28, 1880. In the spring of 1880 he purchased a small tract of land, being a portion of the Moomaw lot near Jelloway, on which he now resides.

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History of Knox County, Ohio, its past and present, Part 172

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co. Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), comp; Graham, A. A. (Albert Adams), 1848-; Graham, A.A. & Co., Mt. Vernon, Ohio
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Mt. Vernon, Ohio : A. A. Graham & Co.
Number of Pages: 1096