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 107
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Mrs. Converse is a member of the Big Darby Baptist church, in which she takes an active interest, and has served as president of the local missionary society. She is president of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and is past worthy matron of the Elizabeth Chapter No. 56, Order of the Eastern Star, of which both Mr. and Mrs. Converse were charter members. Mrs. Converse is an agreeable, whole-souled woman, who has the sympathy of all in her bereavement.
Henry B. Converse died on April 23. 1915, and his remains were interred in the Plain City cemetery. In his lifetime he was an earnest citizen in every respect and a splendid type of man. He gave unfailingly to the common good of the community and took a leading part in all movements for the betterment of Canaan township and the county in general. For the benefit of the people of his community he maintained a part of his land as a picnic ground at his own expense for the enjoyment of his fellow creatures. He was founder and one of the early presidents of Farmers' Institute at Plain City. From his early manhood Mr. Converse was active in fraternal affairs and few men were better known in this part of the state in Masonry than he. He was selected on many occasions to act as guardian for children who were bereft of their parents and his splendid influence and protection has shaped the course of many chil- dren who were entrusted to his care. Being an expert judge of land values Mr. Con- verse was often appointed to appraise estates and was also an expert judge of live stock, particularly sheep, and often officiated as judge of stock at the county and state fairs.
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HOWARD J. CONVERSE.
Farmer and civil engineer, Howard J. Converse, a distinguished citizen of Darby township, Madison county, Ohio, is descended from Revolutionary stock. He is the proprietor of "Rose Lawn Farm," a tract of twenty-eight acres of land, located three miles southwest of Plain City, Ohio. He is the scion of an old family established in this section as early as 1814, more than a century ago.
Howard J. Converse, a native of Darby township, was born on September 2, 1851. His parents were Dr. Jeremiah and Hortense ( Hemenway) Converse, the former of whom was the son of Jeremiah and Malinda (Derby ) Converse, and he in turn was the son of Rev. Jeremiah Converse, a Revolutionary soldier.
Dr. Jeremiah Converse, the father of Howard J .. was born in Darby township, Madison county, Ohio. June 11, 1822, eight years after his father, who was a pioneer minister, had located in this county. He was born in a season marked by an epidemic, which was well remembered by the older citizens of a half century ago, having made deep inroads upon the thinly-settled community of Darby Plains, and having thickly populated the primitive grounds on Big Darby, set aside and sanctified with tears as a burying ground for the dead. The mother of Dr. Converse was Malinda Derby, descended from the old English titled family of that name, and was a woman of remarkable characteristics of mind. Her keenly active faculties, aided by untiring devotion to her family. under less harrowing circumstances than those which sur- rounded the pioneers, would naturally have led to a careful, discriminating education for her children, but the school house and text-books of today were beyond her dreams and beyond the dreanis of her time. It was by studious application of all his energies and the precious little spare time he could get from labor in the fields and woods, that young Converse obtained the rudiments of an education. The thud of the grubbing hoe, the crash of falling trees and the wielding of the ox-goad in preparing the land for cultivation, were interjections in his educational progress until about 1844, when he turned his mind to the study of the science of medicine and graduated four years later from the Starling Medical School at Columbus, Ohio.
About the time he began the study of medicine Dr. Jeremiah Converse was mar- ried to Hortense Hemenway. a young lady of excellent family and fine qualities of mind and heart. To them were born six children. Following his graduation he began a professional career which lasted for twenty-five years and with it began an observ- ance and study of the physical condition of the country, especially its sanitary require- inents. together with the advancement of social, agricultural and general ideas which kept him prominently before the public. He never entirely gave up his farming interests and these, with his extensive practice. required the major part of his time. Yet in all these he was careful to give his children excellent educational advantages. For one-fourth of a century he ministered to the sick over an extensive scope of country on horseback, traveling through the woods, over the mud roads and through the swamps. all of which impressed him with the idea that he could make himself more useful by establishing pikes and ditches to drain the country. He did much for the benefit of those who lived in his community. He served with distinction. for many years. as clerk, trustee and assessor. In 1860 he was elected to the office of county commissioner of Madison county. He was truthfully a high minded and helpful man, not only to Darby township but to Madison county as well. He always had a good word for everybody and no one ever went hungry from his door.
Rev. Jeremiah Converse. the founder of the Converse family in Madison county, who came here in 1814 from Vermont. had nine children. Sandford. Parley. Squire, Lathrop. Orinda, Surviah, Jeremiah, Silas and Charles. Jeremiah. the seventh child in this family, was born in Vermont. By his marriage to Malinda Derby. there was
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a large family of children, Cyrus D., born on September 5, 1814; Rhoda, January 31, 1817; Erastus, December 23, 1818; Elias, April 10, 1821, and died on April 21, 1821; Dr. Jeremiah, June 11, 1822, and died on November 2, 1895; Lemuel D., January 31, 1826, and died on January 26, 1909; Zelotus, June S, 1828, and died on August 9, 1829; Malinda D., July 12, 1830; Lois D., January 15, 1833; and Rosanna C., April 12, 1835. Lois D. is the only member of the family now living.
To Dr. Jeremiah and Hortense (Hemenway) Converse were born six children, Hortense, born on July 15, 1845, and died on June 2, 1850; Maschal D., August 18, 1848, died in September, 1908, who married Mary Hornish and had one son, William H; Howard J., the subject of this sketch; Eldon G., deceased, July 20, 1854, who mar- ried Eva Worthington and had three children; Avis I., January 28, 1859, who married Charles F. Crawson, of Bloomington, Illinois, and has three children; and Carrie H., July 6, 1860, who is the wife of Price MI. Walker, and has one child.
Howard J. Converse was reared on the farm in Darby township and received a common-school education, attending school in the winter and working on the farm in the summer until he had reached his majority. During the next sixteen years Mr. Converse was engaged in teaching, and after he quit teaching took up civil engineering. This was about 1885 and he has followed this profession ever since, in connection with a little farm work.
On January 1, 1879, Howard J. Converse was married to Rose Faulkner, who was born at Oswego, New York, October 21, 1855, and is the daughter of John and Margaret (Hanlin) Faulkner. Mrs. Converse's father was a native of England, born in Buck- ingham and having come to the United States at the age of eighteen, when he located at Oswego, New York. Her mother was born in Toronto, Canada, and educated in the Canadian schools. Mr. and Mrs. Converse have had one daughter, Maude B., who was born on November 21, 1879, and who died on November 23, 1892.
Mr. and Mrs. Converse are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at Plain City, Ohio. Mr. Converse is a Republican in politics and Mrs. Converse is an active member of the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist church.
M. E. GORDON.
M. E. Gordon, farmer. Irwin, Pike township, Madison county, was born on October 4, 1867, at West Liberty, Logan county, Ohio, and is a son of John and Eliza (Kelley) Gordon. He came with his father to Madison county when four years of age and was educated in the public schools of Rosedale, Ohio, and later became a teacher in the public schools of Madison county, and followed that vocation for five years, after which he became engaged in the general merchandise business, which he followed for ten years at Rosedale. His business was a prosperous one, enabling him to purchase his present valuable farm consisting of one hundred and ten acres, located in Pike town- ship. where he has since followed farming. Mr. Gordon is a Democrat in national politics, otherwise lie is an independent voter. He is a member of the Catholic church at Mechanicsburg. Ohio. He has made a specialty of breeding fine stock of various kinds. At present, Mr. Gordon is one of the directors of the Farmers' Telephone Company.
John Gordon, father of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Ireland, as was also his wife, Eliza (Kelley) Gordon, to whom he was married before coming to the United States. They settled in Logan county, Ohio, in 1861. Mr. Gordon went to the Civil War in Company I. One Hundred and Twenty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving until the end of the war. Mr. and Mrs. John Gordon were the par- ents of ten children, six of whom are living in 1915: C. C., P. H., W. P., Martin, M.
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E., and Mary. C. C. Gordon is a prosperons attorney at Marion, Indiana; P. H. Gordon is a resident of Rosedale, Ohio; W. P. Gordon lives at Osborne, Ohio; Martin Gordon makes his home at Mechanicsburg, Ohio; and Mary Gordon is the wife of F. J. Roll, of Belle Center, Ohio.
M. E. Gordon was united in marriage. August 26, 1901, with Nellie E. Donlan, daughter of John and Mary Doulan, of Plain City, Ohio. Nellie E. Donlan was born in Champaign county, Ohio, and was educated first at the public schools of Plain City, and later entered the college at Ada, Ohio, where she became a teacher, remaining six years. Mr. and Mrs. Gordon have one daughter, Lucile, who was born on July 7, 1902. Nellie E. (Donlan) Gordon was a daughter of John and Mary Donlan of Plain City. John Donlan was born in County Galway, Ireland, and came to America when about twenty years of age and settled hear North Lewisburg, Ohio, and engaged in farming. He was married at North Lewisburg to Mary Reed, the daughter of John and Nancy Reed, who also were natives of Ireland. Two brothers of Mary Reed, Joseph and John, came to this country and settled in Ohio; both are now dead and in their lifetime lived in Champaign county, Joseph having lived for a time in Madison county. After their marriage, John and Mary ( Reed) Donlan settled near North Lewisburg on a farm and lived there about twenty years, later moving to Madison county and settled on a farm near Plain City. Mrs. Donlan died on July 12, 1912, and Mr. Donlan continues to make his home on the same farm. Their children were : Alfred. deceased; Ralph, deceased; Fred. deceased; Francis; Anna, who married P. H. Gordon; and Nellie E. The family belonged to the Catholic church.
Mr. Gordon has always followed a high plane of thought and action, and because of his genuine worth, he has won the good will of all who know him.
THOMAS KILBURY.
A veteran of the Civil War and an industrious farmer, the late Thomas Kilbury was one of the most highly-honored citizens of Canaan township during his day and generation. He was born in Canaan township, in June, 1840, the son of Ira and Eliza- beth ( Brittenham) Kilbury. They were both of Madison county, Ohio. Ira Kilbury was a farmer.
Thomas Kilbury was reared on a farm and educated in the counnon schools. He was about twenty-one years old at the breaking ont of the Civil War and enlisted in Company K, of a regiment being recruited in this part of Ohio, and served until the close of the war. During the war Mr. Kilbury was married, and when he had received his final discharge, returned to Canaan township and began farming. He died on October 25, 1892.
The late Thomas Kilbury was married in October, 1862, to Rosanna Bowen, who was born in Clark county. Ohio, February 24, 1840. and who is the daughter of William and Barbara A. (Sugh) Bowen. The former was a native of Virginia and the latter also of the Old Dominion state. Subsequently. they came to Ohio and settled in Clark county, Ohio, where they lived until their death. They had six children, of whom only one is now living. Mrs. Kilbury was reared on a farm near Springfield, Ohio, and when old enough attended the public schools until she was eighteen years old. She worked at home unij she was married. in 1862.
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kilbury had one son, Corrie E., born on August 7, 1874, and who died on September 7, 1914. He was educated in the common schools and remained at home with his mother.
Mrs. Kilbury lives on a farm four miles south of Plain City, Ohio. She is a woman who is well-known in Canaan township. Her husband, who was a Republican in politics, was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Since his death, his widow has
THOMAS KILBURY
ROSANNA KILBURY
CORRIE E. KILBURY
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received from the government a pension of twelve dollars a month. She owns twenty- two and one-half acres of land. Mrs. Kilbury has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Plain City. Ohio, for many years and is active in church work.
BENJAMIN F. ERWIN. 1
Mr. Benjamin F. Erwin has been successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits practically his entire life, and has made his work a matter of scientific study in order that he might receive the greatest possible returns for his investment.
Benjamin F. Erwin, farmer, Irwin, Pike township, Madison county, was born on April 11, 1855. in the township where he still resides, and is a son of Amzi and Cath- erine (Chess) Erwin. He was reared on the home farm, and at the proper age entered the public school, attending only during the winter months, and assisting his father with the farm work during the summer seasons, remaining under the parental roof until he was twenty-one years of age. At the time of his marriage, Mr. Erwin moved to his present farm, consisting of forty-seven acres. The house is located some distance from the public highway and to reach it one must pass through a shaded grove, which gives a very fine appearance to their home. Mr. and Mrs. Erwin are members of the Erwin Grange No. 1880, of which they are both active members, Mr. Erwin officiating as one of the trustees. His farm contains some of the best land in Pike township, and as a general farmer and stock raiser he is looked upon as being an excellent manager.
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Amzi and Catharine (Chess) Erwin, parents of Benjamin Erwin, were early settlers in Madison county, where they always bore the reputation of being honest, upright citizens. Mr. Erwin followed farming until his death, which occurred on May 20, 1879. His wife died on June 20, of the same year. They were the parents of several children.
Benjamin F. Erwin was united in marriage, October 16, 1879, with Olive E. West, daughter of Edward and Martha (Applegate) West. She was born in Clark county. and was educated in the district schools of Clark county. To Mr. and Mrs. Erwin were born two children, Grace, who died at the age of eighteen mouths, and Lewis B., born on April 29, 1889. Lewis B. Erwin was educated in the public schools, from which he was graduated, and afterward attended the schools at Mechanicsburg and Ada, Ohio, respectively, where he received a good education. He is single, and lives at home with his parents. He is well liked in the community, where he takes an active part in local politics, occupying at present the office of clerk of Pike township.
Mr. and Mrs. Erwin number among their sincere friends many of the representative citizens of Pike township, where they are well and favorably known.
HAROLD WEAVER.
Harold Weaver, farmer, Irwin, Pike township, Madison county, was born on July 30, 1863. in the same township where he now resides. His parents were Lewis and Celia L. (Morse) Weaver. He was reared on the home farm in Pike township and obtained his education in the district schools, attending regularly, and in the summer assisting his father with his farming interests. When he grew to young manhood he began farming for himself on a small scale, having but little money to begin with, and now owns ninety acres of good farm land, all under cultivation. Mr. Weaver has given his lifelong support to the Republican party, taking an active interest in local politics, and serving as clerk of Pike township for twenty-two years successively, and was elected treasurer in 1914, which office he now holds. He is a member of the Union church at Rosedale, Ohio, and is secretary of the Home Telephone Company. which office he has occupied for several years.
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Harold Weaver was united in marriage, December 24, 1906, with Myrtle M. Figley, daughter of Calvin M., and Angeline B. ( Southard) Figley. She was born on December 27, 1874, in Kuox county, Indiana, and was educated in the public schools of Marysville, graduating from the high school in 1894, after which she became a teacher in the public schools, which vocation she followed for four years. After finishing her high school course, she attended the State University at Columbus, Ohio, and also took a course in music at Marysville. Mrs. Weaver is an atteutive member of the Union church at Rosedale. Ohio, and belongs to the Harmony Club of that city, in which she has filled all the offices. Before her marriage, she was a very efficient stenographer, occupy- ing a splendid position at Marysville, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Weaver have one daughter, Celia, who was born on September 30, 1907.
Mr. Weaver is a gentleman who thoroughly enjoys the quiet life of the farm and loves the freedom that accompanies such an existence, and with his unpretending bear- ing and strict integrity has helped to build up a spirit of loyal citizenship in the com- munity in which he resides, and where both he and his wife have gained many friends.
LEE HORN.
As surely as water finds its level the man who really means business is bound to find his proper place in the world of commerce, and it takes more than one stumbling block to put him "down and out." He expects difficulties and obstacles of various ratures and prepares himself and his business conditions, as far as possible, to meet them, fortifying himself with patience and endurance, and is not discouraged with petty workings against the ultimate ontcome.
Lee Horn, dry goods merchant, of Plain City, Ohio, was born in that village, April 11, 1873, aud is the son of C. A. and Annette (Burham) Horn. During his boyhood days Mr. Horn attended the public schools of Plain City, and later entered the high school there, after which he became a clerk in a grocery store and was later a clerk in the dry-goods store of C. F. Dutton, where his services became so valuable, and the confidence of his employer in his ability and honesty so well established, that he became the business manager during the last two years spent in Mr. Dutton's employ.
In February, 1910, Mr. Horn and Mr. Millikeu purchased the store, and it is now operated under the firm name of Horn & Milliken. Mr. Horn's first salary, as grocery clerk, was about one dollar and fifty cents a week. but was later increased as he became more experienced. All that he now has is the result of his own efforts. and his unlimited store of hope, ambition and determination. Mr. Horn is a Republican, to which party he has always given his vote. His religious membership is with the Presbyterian church.
C. A. Horn, father of the subject of this sketch, was born at Martin's Ferry, Ohio, and his wife, Annette (Burnham) Horn, was a native of Woodstock, Ohio, and is now dead. Mr. Horn was reared in Ohio and obtained his education at the public schools. After arriving at manhood he became engaged in the manufacture of drain tile, in which business he has been eminently successful, and is now retired from business, spending his summers in Holyoke, Massachusetts, and his winters at Miami, Florida. To this union were born two children, A. V. Horn, who serves as a rural mail carrier at l'lain City, and Lee Horn.
Lee Horn was united in marriage on July 9, 1892, with Alta Worthington, who was born in Canaan township, where she received her early education, attending later at Buchtel College at Akron. Ohio. This union has been blest with one child, Margaret, born on July 1, 1899. She is a student of the Plain City high school.
Mr. Horn is quiet and unpretentious in manner, but very forceful in character, and he and Mrs. Horn enjoy the friendship of the entire community in which they reside.
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SWAINE KENNEDY.
Swaine Kennedy, farmer, Irwin, Pike township, Madison county, was born on March 25, 1859, in Union township, Union county Ohio, and is a son of Oramel and Areal (Lyons) Kennedy. He was reared on a farm in Union county and received his education at the public schools of Madison county, after which he attended the Bliss Business College at Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Kennedy has always voted for the principles of the Republican party, and demonstrated his interest in local politics by serving as trustee of Pike township for a number of years. He is one of the directors of the Madison County Agricultural Society.
Oramel and Areal (Lyons) Kennedy, the parents ,of the subject of this sketch, are both dead. They were the parents of six children: Alfred, Rebecca, Swaine, Nancy, John and William.
Swaine Kennedy was united in marriage, December 27, 1894, with Emma King, daughter of Joseph and Amanda (Tarpenning) King. She was born on January 10, 1864, in Pike township. Madison county. Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy were the parents of one child, who died when five years of age.
Joseph and Amanda King, the parents of Mrs. Swaine Kennedy, are both dead. They lived in this county for many years. They had four children: Ellen, Emma, Abbie and Benjamin.
Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy are both descendants of old pioneer families. Their kind- ness to humanity in general has given them a warm place in the hearts of all who have the pleasure of their acquaintance.
MARTIN RAUSCH.
The lives of those who unshrinkingly shoulder responsibilities necessary for the accomplishment of anything worth while, are inspirations to others less courageous and lacking in those qualities that go hand in hand with a successful career in the business world. Martin Rausch is a man who has never hesitated when emergencies called for strong resolutions and decided action.
Martin Rausch, farmer, Plain City. Ohio, was born on November 21, 1865, in Darby township, Union county, Ohio, and is a son of John A. and Anna B. (Gase) Rausch. He was reared and educated in the district schools of Darby township, and the paro- chial school of St. John's Lutheran church. He remained on his father's farm until he arrived at young manhood and was married, at which time he had but little as a working foundation fund, but he possessed those qualities which have perhaps served him better than a start equipped with riches, and his name is prominently known as belonging to one of the prosperous and enterprising citizens of his community. He gives his support to the Democratic party, and has been actively interested in local politics, having served as one of the trustees of Darby township. Madison county, for seven years. Mr. Rausch belongs to St. Paul's Lutheran church. In connection with his political interests he was nominated by his party. in 1914, for the office of county commissioner, but was defeated by the opposing element. He is a stockholder and director of the Home Telephone Company of Plain City, of which he was one of the organizers
John A. Rausch, father of Martin Rausch, was born on March 8. 1834, in Darby township, Union county, Ohio, and was a son of George and Catherine ( Bloomenshine) Rausch. He was reared in Darby township, and was there united in marriage with Anna B. Gase, living there until he died. He was prosperous in his agricultural pur- suits, owning at the time of his death, six hundred acres of land. Mr. Rausch began by working by the day, and his wealth was acquired entirely through his own efforts
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and industry. Mr. and Mrs. Rausch were the parents of thirteen children, ten of whom are living in 1915: Barbara, May, Peter, Martin, George, Katie, C. J., Henry, Anna and Emma. Barbara became the wife of Adam Veollrath; May was married to Christ Mayer: Peter is a retired farmer at Marysville, Ohio; George is an agriculturist, living in Mill Creek township, Union county, Ohio; Katie was married to William Barger, of Darby township; C. J. is a resident of Columbus, Ohio, where he is estab- lished in business; Henry Rausch follows farming in Darby township, Union county, Anna is the wife of William Ell, of Mill Creek township, Union county ; Emma was mar- ried to George Scherderer, of Darby township, Union county.
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