USA > Ohio > Madison County > History of Madison County, Ohio : its people, industries and institution with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families > Part 102
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Mr. and Mrs. Houston have been the parents of two children. Murray, who is a student in the London high school, class of 1917. and Helen, who will graduate from the high school with the class of 1919. Murray is very much inclined to nature study, and in 1913 discovered an ancient turtle in the woods of the old Willard farm, bearing the date "1812." with the initials "J. W." carved on its back, thought to be the initials of J. Willard, who owned the farm at that date.
Practically all of the members of the Houston family have been Republicans; but Lawrence C. Houston is inclined to the Progressive party. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at London. Mr. Houston is a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and one of the radical dry workers in Madison county. He is also a member of the Grange, the Farmers Club. the Young Men's Christian Association and takes an interest in all of these organizations.
ASA F. BURNHAM.
Tireless energy, combined with honesty of purpose, and a good supply of proper business judgment. is bound to end in successful achievement in most any line of business, and this fact is illustrated in the life of the subject of this sketch. Asa F. Burnham, who is prominently known throughout Madison county as a high-grade. twentieth-century farmer and stock raiser.
Asa F. Burnham, farmer and stock raiser. Mechanicsburg. Madison county, Ohio. was born on February 12. 1855, in Pike township, and is a son of John and Selina (Fullington ) Burnham. He was reared on a farm and attended the district schools, after which he entered the Akron College and at the end of two years returned home and became engaged in general farming and stock raising. and is now the proprietor of the valuable farm known as "Maple Lawn Farm," located on rural ronte No. 3, six miles east of Mechanicsburg. in Pike and Monroe townships. Mr. Burnham is a stanch Republican.
John Burnham, father of Asa F. Burnham, was born in Connecticut, and his wife. Selina ( Fullington ) Burnham, was born in Ohio. They were early settlers in Madison
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county and Mr. Burnham was always considered a money-maker. He began on his own responsibility in very meager circumstances, but was industrious and thrifty, and soon became the owner of fifty cows and a good dairy farm, which he later gave up and engaged in general farming and stock raising, principally sheep and cattle. John Burnham was a man of high moral character, and upright in all his business dealings.
Mr. and Mrs. John Burnham were the parents of eight children, seven of whom are living in 1915: Henry, a veterinarian in Indiana; Charles L., a retired farmer at Mechanicsburg; Darius J., also retired and living at Mechanicsburg, where he is one of the large landowners; Pearl J. is cashier of the Central Bank at Mechanicsburg, and is also the owner of a large tract of land; Ada Burnham is the wife of M. D. Bradley : Marion L. is the present mayor of London, Ohio; and Asa F.
Asa F. Burnham was united in marriage in October, 1882, with Amy F. Burnham, daughter of Henry and Eveline ( Williams) Burnham. She was born in Pike township, in Madison county.
Mr. Burnham has always been a man of temperate habits, and because of his sterling qualities is deservedly popular among his acquaintances.
WILLIAM JOHNSON EDWARDS.
The human life is most useful which results in the greatest good to the greatest number. Though all do not reach the heights to which they aspire, yet in some meas- ure. each can reach success and make life a blessing to his fellow men. It is not necessary for one to occupy eminent public position to do so, for in other walks of life there remains much good to be accomplished and many opportunities for the exercise of talent and influence, which in some way will touch the lives of others. Among the farmers of Somerford township, Madison county, Ohio, William Johnson Edwards has, for many years, occupied a conspicuous place, He is the proprietor of "Needmore Farm," located on the London and Urbana pike, two and one-half miles north of Sum- merford, in Somerford township. It is the old David Ward farm and contains one hundred and seventy-five acres, having been purchased by Mr. Edwards five years ago.
William Johnson Edwards was born in Wise county, Virginia, February 4, 1865. Many of the members of the Edwards family still live in Wise county, Virginia. Mr. Edwards was reared on a farm and for many years was engaged in the manufacture of hardwood lumber in Carroll, Wise and Grayson counties, Virginia. During a period of sixteen years he had extensive experience in operating mills. Coming to Ohio in December, 1903, he settled in Clark county, his object being to obtain better educational advantage for his children. Mr. Edwards rented land for two years and then pur- chased land in Madison county. He first bought the Arbuckle farm in Somerford township, a tract of one hundred and seventy-one acres. It was a run-down farm, for which he paid fifty-five dollars an acre. In four years, he sold out and received eighty- five dollars an acre. He then rented the Angus Bonner farm of seven hundred and forty acres, and one year later sold out his interest in the farm and purchased his present home, which had been rented for many years. There were no fences on the farm and this farm also was very much run down, and it gave Mr. Edwards a chance to improve and rebuild. The land is now in a high state of cultivation. He has blown out several acres of stumps and put this into cultivation. He grows corn, wheat and oats and buys considerable grain to feed to his stock. A rather large herd of cows is kept on the farm and the cream is sold as a principal product. He has splendid wells on the farm, which are operated by windmills and the water piped to a tank in the yard. The farm also has a silo. Besides cattle and hogs, Mr. Edwards keeps draft stallions and is doing a great deal to improve the breed of horses in this county.
In 1888 William J. Edwards was married in Grayson county, Virginia, to Sarah
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Frances Shupe, a native of Grayson county. Mr. and Mrs. Edwards have been the parents of eight children : Hattie May, who is the wife of Louis Ackermann, of Rose- dale. Madison county ; Earl Eugene, who owns a part of the Edwards farm, but lives in Clark county ; Everett Clinton, who is a graduate of the London high school and is a teacher; Ernest Kyle, who married Gladys Wilson, the daughter of Valentine Wilson, and occupies Mr. Wilson's farm; Clara and Martha Aun, who are students in the London high school; William Austin and Vernie Clyde, who live at home.
Mr. and Mrs. William J. Edwards are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Summerford. They have been active in church work since 1892. Mr. Edwards is a trustee of the church. Fraterually, he is a member of the Masonic lodge at London. The Edwards home is located in a magnificent grove which makes one of the most desirable home sites in Madison county.
WILLIAM I. BALLINGER, M. D.
Among the resourceful and enterprising citizens of Madison county, Ohio, is Dr. William I. Ballinger. Although well advanced in years, Doctor Ballinger is still wonderfully active and wide awake. His progressive spirit has been very helpful to his township. and he has performed his part as a public-spirited citizen. He began his career as a physician, but the call of the commercial life proved more attractive to him, and his last years in active business were spent in his flouring mills, in which business he has also been eminently successful. He retired from business in 1908.
William I. Ballinger was born on October 18, 1828, in Logan county, Ohio, a son of Joshua and Delila ( Inskeep) Ballinger. He was reared on a farm in Logan county, and obtained his early education in the public schools, remaining on the farm until nineteen years of age. When a boy he was injured, making it impossible for him to follow agricultural pursuits, and in deciding upon a vocation he selected the study and profession of medicine and surgery, entering the college at Marysville, Ohio, pre- sided over by Dr. D. W. Henderson, where he was one of the leading students. He later went to college at Delaware, remaining from 1850 to 1853, after which he studied with Doctor Henderson in Marysville for two years, and was later a student at Starling Medical College at Columbus. From there he went to Cleveland, during which time he devoted much of his time and attention to surgery, graduating from the medical college at Cleveland with the degree of Doctor of Medicine, in April, 1856,
Doctor Ballinger located at Plain City, where he established a good practice. until 1885 or 1886. when he discontinued his medical practice in order that he might have more time to devote to his flouring-mill, which he had built in 1873. It was one of the first mills and proved a success. Dr. Ballinger personally took charge of it in 1SS5. It was burned down in 1898 and he at once rebuilt it on better and more modern plans, taking out the buhrs and replacing them with the roller system, and in 1904 or 1905 he again took active charge of the mill, assisted by his sons. Doctor Ballinger was originally a Whig. but later became a Republican, to which party he has since given hi's loyal support. He has always been an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church and an active worker in that denomination. Fraternally, he belongs to the Masonic lodge of Plain City, of which he has officiated as secretary for many years.
Joshua Ballinger, father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of New Jersey, and came to Ohio in 1803. His wife was Delila (Inskeep) Ballinger, whose parents were natives of Virginia, and both died in Logan county, Ohio, where her father was a prosperous farmer. Mrs. Joshua Ballinger had five brothers and two sisters, the only one of whom now living is Hester A., the widow of E. P. Williams.
Dr. William I. Ballinger was united in marriage, in February, 1857, with Matilda M. Taylor, by whom he has had three children-John, Llew and Eva, who married
DR. AND MRS. WILLIAM I. BALLINGER.
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Rev. A. L. Rogers, a Methodist Episcopal minister, and they live in Plain City, Ohio. Doctor and Mrs. Ballinger have been married fifty-eight years, and are among the best known and most highly respected citizens of Plain City, Ohio.
Mrs. Ballinger's father was Jolin Taylor, who was born on the old Taylor home- stead, located in Darby and Canaan townships. He was a farmer and large stock man. He died on the old home place. Mrs. Ballinger's mother was Eliza Marks, who was born on the banks of Little Darby, in Madison county, Ohio. She was the daughter of James Marks, a prominent farmer and one of the early settlers of Madison county, who came to this section when it was a wilderness. John and Eliza ( Marks) Taylor were the parents of the following children: David, deceased; Matilda; Elizabeth, deceased ; James, deceased ; Eva, deceased, and J. B. F., who lives at Lafayette.
EDWIN E. WILLARD.
Large undertakings are entrusted only to men of large vision and great ability. During the past few years, Madison county has been engaged in tremendous road building projects, at the head of which has been Edwin E. Willard, the president of the board of county commissioners, who was elected to his present office first in 1910 and who is now serving his second term. During his administration. Madison county, in conjunction with Franklin county, has built two large bridges over Big Darby as a result of the flood. These bridges cost about seventy thousand dollars each. More- over, the county is constructing about fourteen miles of state and inter-county roads, a total cost to Madison county of about fifty-five thousand dollars.
During Mr. Willard's administration, the county has also rebuilt several miles of roads, one of which is the old turnpike. A movement is now on foot to change the route of the old national road so that it will leave the old line at West Jefferson and pass through London and by the way of the state farm to Summerford. The present national road is a straight line from West Jefferson to Summerford, by the way of Lafayette. London lies four miles south of Lafayette. so that the new line makes a slight detour to the south, returning to the old line at Summerford. The increase in distance, however, is very slight. This project means an expense of one hundred thousand dollars to Madison county and is about one-half the total cost as the state will pay the other half. Mr. Willard is a man of large ability and has given a full measure of satisfaction during his previous years of service. He is thoroughly experi- enced in politics and public affairs, having served as township assessor of Somerford township, as trustee and as a member of the school board. The people of any county are pleased to honor a man possessing the ability of Edwin E. Willard.
Edwin E. Willard was born on the old home farm near his present home on May 9, 1856, and is the third in the family born to James M. and Eleanor ( Hull) Willard, the former of whom was born in Somerford township, October 2, 1829, and the latter in Madison county, July 2. 1830. James M. Willard was the son of Abner S. and Hulda (Colver) Willard, the former a native of Vermont, born in 1797, and the latter born on the shore of Lake Champlain, in New York state, in 1796. Abner S. Willard went to Canada in early life, then returned to New York, and in 1812 settled in Champaign county, Ohio, where he remained until 1815, when he came to Madison county. He died on December 16, 1872. He was married in Madison county in 1817. His wife died on June 3. 1861, in this county.
James M. Willard was married to Eleanor Hull on November 25, 1851, and after his marriage engaged in farming and stock raising, renting land until he purchased two hundred acres, adding to it until he owned two hundred and fifty-eight acres. Elected as a Republican he served three years as county commissioner and faithfully discharged the duties of the office. He also served as township trustee at different
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times and school director for twenty years. James and Ellen ( Hull) Willard were the parents of six children, of whom four are living: Edwin E., the subject of this sketch ; Horace M. lives on the old homestead; Olive J. is the wife of Walter Dickason, of Columbus; Louie R. is the widow of Frank Newman, of Rosedale, Madison county. Tabitha and Nettie O. are deceased. Tabitha was the wife of Marion Candler and died on June 14, 1SS6, her hsuband having since died. Her daughter, Myrtle, married Eugene Dixon and died on June 19, 1905, leaving no children. James M. Willard was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and he and his wife were mem- bers of the Universalist church. He died on February 17, 1905, and his remains were buried in the Summerford cemetery. His wife died in December. 1896.
The life of Edwin E. Willard has been passed mainly in Madison county, either on the farm or in London, where he was engaged in breeding light harness horses. Hle followed the race circuit for many years, driving his own horses, and during that period owned several fast horses which brought him good prices. He has now been living on the farm for eight years and owns seventy-five acres of land. On the farm he lives in a neat concrete house, which has been made modern and is a desirable home. It it situated two miles north of Summerford.
Edwin E. Willard was married on January 19, 1877, to Alice E. Evans, the daugh- ter of William and Anna Evans, who were, for many years, proprietors of the hotel at Summerford. William Evans died on August 5, 1915, and was buried at Mechan- iesburg, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Willard are the parents of four children: Forrest, who is employed by the Ohio Electric railway at Columbus, Ohio; Edwina, who is the wife of A. J. Leonard, an electrician of London; Jeannette, who was graduated from the high school with the class of 1915; and Irene, who will graduate from the high school with the class of 1916.
Mr. and Mrs. Edwin E. Willard and family are prominent citizens of Madison county. The family is popular socially and enjoys the wholesome respect of their neighbors. At no time in the history of the county has any county commissioner had so much to contend with as Mr. Willard. He is acknowledged one of the best men who ever held that position.
ROBERT HARBAGE.
Robert Harbage, a prosperous young farmer of Somerford township, is the pro- prietor of "Spring Hill Farm," a tract of two hundred acres, lying three miles north of Summerford and back from the main pike from London to Mechanicsburg. The farm lies on Georges creek and is excellently watered and well adapted for stock raising.
Robert Harbage was born in Jefferson township. Madison county. November 24, 1889, and is the son of Charles and Jennie ( Roberts) Ilarbage, the former of whom is deceased and the latter is still living on the old home place.
For a period of three years, Mr. Harbage operated the farm of his uncle, Vymul Harbage, in Deer Creek township. but after his marriage moved to his present farm. which is known as the old David Ward farm. Since moving to the farm he has rebuilt most of the fences and by installing an elaborate system of drainage, has reclaimed a great deal of waste land. The farm was very much run down when he took possession of it, but it is now in a high state of cultivation. At the present time Mr. Harbage has one hundred and fifty acres of land in cultivation and is clearing more land every year. He is engaged principally in stock raising and specializes in hogs and sheep, being one of the well-known breeders of this community.
Mr. Harhage is a graduate of the West Jefferson high school and spent two years in the University at Columbus. He was a charter member of the Farmers Club.
At the age of twenty-four Mr. Harbage was married to Bertha Fields, the daughter
-
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of Nathan and Esther ( Sheridan) Fields, who are prosperous farmers of Deer Creek township. Mrs. Harbage's father was born in Carroll county, Ohio, June 1, 1854, and her mother was born at Mishawaka, Indiana. Mr. and Mrs. Fields have owned the old Beals farm since 1891. It consists of one hundred and twenty-seven and one-half acres. Mrs. Harbage is one of a family of eight children and the third in the family. The others are: Wealthy, the wife of Earl Woodruff; Margaret, now a student at the State University; Amy, the wife of Lester Stroup; John, a farmer and carpenter at Bernstad, North Dakota; Clarence, who is in the service of the Pennsylvania railroad; Alice and. Gladys.
Mrs. Harbage was born in Somerford township and is a graduate of the London high school. She was a student in the summer school of Ohio State University and, for five years, was a teacher in Madison county. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Harbage have two children, Charles Nathan and Ben. The family is highly respected and well known in Somerford township and, altogether, Mr. Harbage is one of the leading young citizens of the township.
VALENTINE WILSON.
Valentine Wilson, a son of Washington and Linnie ( West) Wilson, and the grand- son of Valentine and Susan ( Umble) Wilson, is a farmer of Somerford township, own- ing three hundred and eighty acres of his father's old homestead, and altogether three hundred and ninety acres in this township. His farm is located on the London and Mechanicsburg pike, one mile north of Summerford.
Valentine Wilson was born two and one-half miles west of his present home, in Clark county, Ohio, June 30, 1851. Mr. Wilson's father first purchased land in Clark county, where he lived until 1856, when he came to the farm now occupied by his son. Valentine inherited half the land and built the house, which still stands on the farm, in 1856. Here he lived until his death, at which time he was the owner of about eight hundred acres of land. This old house has been the gathering place for the min- isters of the Christian church for a great deal more than a generation. Washington Wilson was a man who had many friends, and so thoroughly and widely was he trusted that he was appointed by the court to settle up many estates. His life and his children are referred to elsewhere in the sketch of the Wilson family. It may be said here that he was a stanch Republican in politics and took a very active part in public affairs locally. He was fond of fine horses. During the Civil War he was heavily interested in raising sheep.
Valentine Wilson, the immediate subject of this sketch, inherited from his father's estate what was called the Heffley farm, and there he lived for thirty years. After the death of his brother, Charles, he bought the old home farm, where he has now lived for four years. He is heavily interested in live stock and buys great numbers of cattle, which are fed off to grass.
In 1878 Valentine Wilson was married to Flora Overturf. who died in 1900. leav- ing three children who grew to maturity. Tweed, the widow of Willard Dickason, lives with her father; Ralph married Bertha Mershon. and operates a part of the home farm. He and his wife have one child, Valentine Harold. At one time Ralph took a commercial and business course at Greenfield, and for a year worked in an office in Chicago. Gladys A. attended London high school for four years and was graduated in 1910. On March 3, 1915, she was married to Ernest Kyle Edwards, who was born in Grayson county, Virginia, a son of William and Sarah F. (Shupe) Edwards. They now live in Somerford township, this county, where Mr. Edwards is a farmer and stock raiser. The late Willard Dickason was a son of Oscar Dickason. of Somerford town- ship, this county. He was a farmer by occupation, and for three years fought off the
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dread disease of tuberculosis by travel and change of climate, but all to no purpose, for subsequently he returned to his old home and died among his friends. IIe died on January 31, 1911.
An ardent Republican in politics, Mr. Wilson has taken an active part in public affairs. He has served as township assessor, and as a member of the township school board. He served as director of the county infirmary for a term of six years, and has always taken an active part in the conventions of his party. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, London. He is affiliated with the Christian church at Summerford. in which he is deeply inter- ested, and to the support of which he is a liberal contributor, and for several years has served on the board of trustees of this church.
ARNETT HARBAGE.
"Maple Shade Stock Farm," consisting of three hundred and forty-four acres, situ- ated on rural route No. 8, London, Ohio, is the property of Arnett Harbage, in addition to which he owns a fine tract, consisting of three hundred and thirty acres in Cham- paign county, Ohio, making in all, six hundred and seventy acres, the greater portion of which is devoted to stock raising, from which Mr. Harbage reaps a handsome annual profit.
Arnett Harbage was born on April 21, 1873, in Jefferson township, and is the son of Owen and Minerva (Arnett) Harbage. He was reared on the farm and was gradu- ated from the West Jefferson high school in 1890, attending later the Ohio State Uni- versity and was graduated from that institution in the class of 1893. with the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, but never practiced his profession. He is a breeder of fine Percheron horses, of which he has a number of good ones, including three registered stallions, and several registered mares, Mr. Harbage is a Republican but has never been active in politics.
Owen Harbage, father of Arnett Harbage, was born in England, and his wife, Minerva (Arnett) Harbage, was born in Oak Run township, Madison county. Ohio.
Arnett Harbage was united in marriage on March 2, 1899, with Helen Postle, daugh- ter of Theodore and Mary (Busbey) Postle. She was born on April 4, 1877, in Franklin county, and was educated in the public schools. To Mr. and Mrs. Harbage have been born three children: Frances, born on October 30, 1900, and died on February 7, 1915; Minerva, November 24, 1902, and Mary, May 27, 1909. Mrs. Harbage is an attentive member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Both Mr. and Mrs. Harbage are members of the Madison County Farmers' Club. Mrs. Harbage is a member of the Harmony Club at Rosedale (a literary club) and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Mr. Harbage is a leader of the Plumwood Young Men's Christian Association,
Theodore Postle, father of Mrs. Arnett Harbage, was born on March 28, 1848, and died on January 21, 1915. His wife, Mary (Busbey) Postle, was born at South Vienna in Clark county, Ohio, and is now living in Franklin county, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Postle were the parents of five children : Helen ; Dr. Carl D. Postle, of Columbus, Ohio: Fred W. Postle, a successful practicing attorney, and member of the city council of Colum- bus; Edna Grace, died on January 17, 1887; and Mary Lucile, died in April, 1901.
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