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 123
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Benjamin F. Renick was born in Jackson township, Pickaway county, Ohio. He was first married to Sarah Williams, of Pickaway county, to which union were born four children, Mary, Cynthia, Milton and Vincent, all of whom are deceased. After the death of his first wife. Mr. Renick was married to Mary Taylor, of Madison county, to which union were born nine children, as follow : Sarah married Dr. J. T. Kirken- dall, of Darbyville; Amanda, wife of T. H. Carpenter: Jane, who lives in Columbus; Seymour, of Findley ; Job, of Derby; Edward, deceased; Ella married Charles Allen, of Washington C. H. ; Benjamin F., Jr., of Derby; and Warner, of Howard, Montana. Mr. Renick was a farmer and stockman. He was a Republican, and a member of the Masonic lodge. Mr. and Mrs. Renick were interested in the Presbyterian church. Mr. Renick died on August 7. 1901., and his wife died on January 13, 1911.
Mr. Carpenter is a Republican and a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Free and Accepted Masons. His wife, who is a Presbyterian in church membership. is prominent in the circles of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Thus is briefly sketched the career of a man who, by reason of personal gifts and strength of character, has merited the friendship and esteem of all fortunate enough to know him. His life has been characterized by unfailing honesty, integrity of purpose and unflinching sense of duty to the community. He therefore deserves a place among the prominent citizens of this county.
HENRY FATTLAAR.
In the early surroundings of the man whose life is briefly outlined here, there was little to encourage, and very much to discourage, even a strong heart. The father of the subject of this sketch was a hard-working man, but the results of his toil were never in keeping with his effort, so it was that Henry Fattlar had practically nothing to start with. But he was heir to Nature's rich gifts, for "No matter how plain the habitation may have been nor how simple the fare: the pure air, the bright sunlight, the open country, the trees and flowers, the brooks and forests, the meadows and glens, the song of the birds, and the incomparable charm of undefiled Nature, are the property of all." The father of Henry Fattlar was a native of Germany, having been born there in 1838: his son, however, was born in this country, the date and place being January 15, 1856. Muskingum county. Ohio. The parents are John and Caroline (Smith) Fattlar. They were the parents of ten children.
John Fattlar was a blacksmith and wagon-maker by trade, and after farming for a few years in this country he returned to his original occupation. continuing in that line
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of employment until his death, which occurred in 1907. At the time of his death, John Fattlar owned two hundred and thirty acres of well-improved land. His wife also was a native of Germany, coming to this country with her parents, and died a few years previous to the death of Mr. Fattlar; they were about the same age.
Henry Fattlar is a well-known farmer in the district in which he resides. Having worked on his father's farm until his twenty-first year, he had but meager opportuni- ties for an education, attending school at Philo, Ohio. When he had reached his major- ity he came to this county and engaged as a farm laborer, working by the month for from fourteen to seventeen dollars a month. The skill, efficiency and industry with which he labored is evidenced by the fact that he worked for one employer in Range township for a period of nine years. After fourteen years of this kind of employment he rented a farm from Benjamin Harrison for eleven years, and in 1900 had saved enough money to buy seveuty-five acres of land in Range township. He immediately began the improvements which have made his farm one of the best in the township. He built a two-story, six-room house, and a barn forty-two by twenty-six feet in dimen- sions. One of his specialties as a farmer is the keeping of fine, graded stock.
Sarah ( Rowe) Grim and George Grim, natives of Ohio. were the parents of Della Grim, who was born in Fayette county about 1869. Henry Fattlar and Della Grim were married on March 6, 1890. The children born of this union, being three in number, are Shurell, of Richmond. Indiana ; Martha, who was graduated from Midway high school ; and Lenna.
Mr. Fattlar is a Democrat. He and his wife are church members. Mr. Fattlar belongs to the Knights of Pythias.
IRA R. DILLE.
It seems to make no difference to what business or profession the boys and girls of this country are called, history repeats itself unanimously in favor of these fortunate boys and girls whose early environments and births were on the farm. No matter how humble the old farm home may have been, no matter whether those sons and daugh- ters came into this life and spent their earlier years on the rough, stony hillsides of New England or whether they enjoyed the more favorable sections of the great Middle West, the lives and achievements of these soil-grown sons and daughters, who have imbibed health and strength and character from this invigorating life, stand out so con- spicuous in longevity and strength that their careers are marked with success. The youngest of four children born to Zenas and Harriet (Pope) Dille was Ira R. Dille, who was boru on June 30. 1877. at West Liberty, Logan county, Ohio, and reared on the farm, where he attended the schools, fitting himself physically and mentally for the profession in which he has been so successful. The other children were: Mrs. Ada Riddle, of Logan county, Ohio; Mrs. Esta L. Cooper, of Logan county, Ohio: and William L., of West Liberty, Ohio.
During the year of 1902. when Ira R. Dille was twenty-five years of age. he engaged as a clerk in a hardware store located at West Liberty. Ohio, and in 1903 he and his brother, William, purchased a stock of hardware goods at West Liberty, Ohio, and entered the mercantile field themselves. Seeing the opportunity to invest individ- ually, Ira R. Dille, in 1911. sold out his interests in the store at West Liberty. Ohio, and removed to Mt. Sterling, Ohio, where he engaged in the hardware line, building up a lucrative trade, in which he is now engaged.
On December 17, 1913, fra R. Dille was united in wedlock to Emma B. Johnson, who was born in November, 1884, in Fairfield county, Ohio, and is the daughter of H. Clay and Anna ( Williamson) Johnson: After graduating from the Mt. Sterling schools, Emma B. Johnson served in the office of the local telephone company for several years.
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in the bookkeeping department. Only one child was born to the union of Ira R. Dille and his wife, Emma B. Dille. This child died when an infaut.
Ira R. Dille is a member in two of the most prominent orders of the world, the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias. Ilis political faith is with the Republican party, and he atteuds church regularly. At the early business age of thirty-eight years. Ira R. Dille has placed himself in the enviable class of quick thought and resolute determination, from which he has wrought out an independent career for himself and his worthy helpmeet.
HON. CHARLES CAMERON GREEN.
Among the citizens of London of whom Madison county is truly proud is the Hon. Charles C. Green, former treasurer of the state of Ohio, and now president of the West Manufacturing Company of London, and an all-around spirited man of affairs. On account of the interest which he aroused among the citizens of this city, the Board of Trade was organized and here it must be conceded was stirred the public spirit that has caused the many marked public improvements of the past four years.
After serving as cashier in the county treasurer's office at Lisbon, Ohio, for five years, Mr. Green in 1900 became cashier of the office of the state treasurer upon Hon. 1. B. Cameron's election to that office. Mr. Cameron served as state treasurer from 1900 to 1904. In 1904, upon the election of Hon. William S. Mckinnon to the office, Mr. Green was voluntarily retained, handling approximately twenty millions of dollars anuually. After serving in this position for nearly nine years, on the death of Mr. Mckinnon, on November 17, 1908, Mr. Green was appointed by Gov. Andrew L. Harris to fill out the unexpired term of his office. In the May convention of that year Mr. Green received the Republican nomination for treasurer of state, but was defeated in the following election, turning over his office to his successor in January, 1909.
Charles C. Green was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, at Salineville, April 6, 1873, and grew to manhood in his native county. When about twelve years of age he took a position as office boy in the offices of the Knowles, Taylor & Knowles Compauy. at East Liverpool, Ohio, the largest pottery plant in the world. After serving in their general office in various capacities for nine years, he took charge of the office of the A. J. Boyce Foundry & Machine Company, manufacturers of clay-working machinery, here he was located for two years. At the end of that period he took the position as cashier in the office of the Columbiana county treasurer, under Hon. I. B. Cameron.
After retiring from the position of treasurer of state, Mr. Green became associated with the Merchants National Bank at Cincinnati as their financial agent. The Mer- chants National Bank is the institution of which the late M. E. Ingalls was the con- trolling factor.
Mr. Green established, in the meantime, the West Manufacturing Company, at Columbus. This company was removed to London in 1911. By turning his attention from politics to industry, he has proved that he is quite as well fitted for the one as the other. Since coming to London he has built up one of the most important enter- prises in Madison county.
The West Manufacturing Company manufactures metal specialties for the whole- sale paper and hardware trade and sells exclusively to jobbers. This company was the first enterprise to locate in London which has developed an export trade-of this busi- ness practically one-third is export. The West company manufactures the celebrated "Queen" and "West" Roll Paper Holder and Cutters, and half a million merchants, located in every section of the civilized world daily tear off paper to wrap packages with from this device that has been manufactured in London; from which it can be
CHARLES C. GREEN.
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MADISON COUNTY, OHIO.
seen that Mr. Green deserves a good portion of the credit for the general advertising throughout the country which London is getting as a manufacturing center.
In this connection it may be stated that it was his coming to London that turned the attention of this locality toward manufacturing. The start had to be made by some one, and Mr. Green made the start in the face of considerable opposition on the part of the town. Madison county did not want to be considered as a manufacturing county in those days. Now things have changed, and with successful institutions springing up from time to time, the people are realizing the advantages that follow the pay-roll which these institutions bring to the locality.
In securing the location of these industries the town did not pay out a single dollar. Mr. Green had "Glade Hill" addition to the town of London laid out, and a few thousand dollars were paid by the more enterprising of the local people for lots in this addition. As the lots are worth more than was paid for them, it can be truthfully stated that these institutions came to London at no cost to the people of London.
With the satisfactory transportation conditions which exist in London, it is likely that at some time some keen manufacturer would have seen the advantages to be had from locating at this point. The fact is that when Mr. Green came here no one locally looked at it in that light.
Mr. Green was the principal in organizing the London Grave Vault Company, was its president for a number of years and still retains the largest interest in that company. Mr. Green's wife before her marriage was Florence Josephine Rose, of Canton, Ohio. Both their parents are deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Green had three children, as follow : Walter Cameron, Desmond Emerson and Douglass Rose.
All in all, it must be admitted that Charles C. Green is one of the livest and most useful citizens of London and Madison county, No man has done more than he to stimulate an interest among the people in developing the natural advantages of this county. He is a man who is highly respected not only in Madison county, but through- out the state of Ohio, where he has many friends and is well and favorably known.
FREDERICK W. DORN.
That there are those who appreciate the underlying principles of true happiness has been proven time and again by the records of those whose convictions were in favor of the simple life. \ chronicle of the life of Frederick W. Dorn should be preserved as an inspiration for his descendants. Reared on the farm and receiving his education in the district schools of Range township, Madison county, Ohio, he grew thoroughly familiar with the vocation which was to become his life work.
Frederick W. Dorn was born on August 3, 1875, in Pickaway county, Ohio, and is the son of Peter and Katherine (Uhrig) Dorn. Confident that success and happiness were to be gained more quickly along the commercial pathway, he, in connection with his father, entered the grocery business, which he followed for four years. Realizing that competition, while the life of a trade, is very often the death of individuality, as well, he returned to a farm near Sedalia in 1900, content to mold his destiny, where most happiness was to be found.
Constant attention to agricultural interests has been rewarded by an increase in property holdings, and today Frederick W. Dorn is the possessor of two hundred and twenty-six acres of land, well improved by good buildings, proper fencing and ditching. The cattle on this farm are of the Shorthorn variety.
In 1899 Myrta E. Pallin, daughter of Samuel J. and Flora A. (Core) Paulin, and a graduate of the Midway high school, was united in marriage to Frederick W. Dorn,
(53)
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MADISON COUNTY, OHIO.
and they are the parents of five children, who are all at home, namely : Herman Ken- neth, Leland Panl, Russell Dwight, Hugh Maynard and Delbert LeRoy.
Frederick W. Dorn is a stockholder in the Farmers Bank of Sedalia, Madison county, Ohio, and a strong Republican. His fraternal relations are in the Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of Pythias, which lodges hold him in high esteem, Hle is identified with the Presbyterian church, taking great interest in its affairs, and the name of Frederick W. Dorn is spoken with respect by all who know him.
FLOYD ALKIRE.
Few citizens are so widely known in Madison county, Ohio, as Floyd Alkire, for in his mercantile associations he commands the respect of every customer and in his private life he is the soul of honor. The name of Floyd Alkire is closely woven into the hearts of his host of admirers, in that he has that rare gift, a beautiful voice and with that voice he possesses the soul of an artist and the execution of a professional. He has always been most liberal with his talent, singing in church and assisting the home people with their numerous entertainments. Floyd Alkire was born on May 10, 18SS. in Pleasant township, Madison county, Ohio, and is the son of William and Nevada (Beatty) Alkire. Four children comprise this family group: Mrs. Essie Claridge, of Nashville, Tennessee; Rife, a farmer in Madison county, Ohio;' Floyd, a merchant of Mt. Sterling, Ohio, and Homer, of Mt. Sterling.
William Alkire was born on July 20. 1857, in Mt. Sterling, Ohio, and was a prominent Madison county farmer, since retired, and now living on the old home place. The parents of William Alkire, Abraham and Mary J. (Tanner) Alkire, were both natives of Virginia. Nevada Beatty was born on July 29, 1858, at Washington, Ohio.
Reared on the farm and obtaining the elementary branches of his education from the public schools at Mt. Sterling, Ohio, Floyd Alkire, realizing the value of a broad, comprehensive training, continued his studies in a general course at Defiance, Ohio, and during that period developed a rich baritone voice of wide range, in the school of voice culture. Actuated from principles of the highest moral and intellectual standards. Floyd Alkire, having acquired the most important attributes for permanent success and continued happiness, continued to maintain his high ethical standards and remained on the farm until 1906. He then entered the Citizens Bank, at Mt. Sterling, Ohio, where he was employed in the capacity of bookkeeper. from which position he resigned in 1907.
Desirous of securing a more extended knowledge of business affairs and gaining a more practical knowledge, from personal observation. for a business location, Floyd Alkire, after his resignation at the bank in 1907. made an extended tour of several of the southern states, including Texas, Tennessee and Arkansas, employing his time in the vocation of bookkeeper at different points, thereby obtaining a more general knowledge of the country and its people, than could have been gleaned from a journey of practically continuous travel.
Convinced that Mt. Sterling. Ohio, offered satisfactory inducements for future developments, Floyd Alkire returned from his travels and in the old familiar town secured employment in the grocery store of G. M. Fisher and served in that capacity until 1911. At that time he decided to enter the commercial field for himself and with his brother, Homer, purchased a hardware store, which carries a large and well-selected stock of hardware merchandise. and through the courtesy and management of these . brothers this establishment has attracted a large patronage from the surrounding country.
In 1912 Floyd Alkire was married to Maud Loofbourrow, who was born in 1883.
"
BERTHA
ESTA
COOVER SISTERS
GADICON COUNTY. OHIO
PERTHA COOVER AND ESTA COOVER HARVEY.
By Mary F. Clark.
These two remarkable women, daughters and only children of Allison Jerome and Harriet ( Porel) Conver, were born on November 13. Iste, and June 19, 1862, respect- ively, at the Cover homestead, three and one half miles west of London, on the Spring- field road. Here they lived, enjoying country life. its schools and pastimes, uutil May. 1×76, when the family moved to London into the familiar home on North Main street. They graduated from the London public schools, Adah Bertha in 1978, and Esta Willa In 1850. each with the highest honors of her class. Bertha taught the year following her grantuation, in the schools of London, and was preparing for a college course when Mrs. Coover's health, never robust, became seriously impaired. The sisters devoted them- selves to the care of their loved and honored mother until death claimed her, May 17, 18.5. The father's health, also, failed during this time and he followed the mother, January 15, 1900.
The family life of this little circle was a most beautiful and happy one. There was much love and great peace in the home and, by precept and example, the girls were trained to be kind in their estimates of others broad in their judgment, and most friendly in their relations to all of God's creatures. Friendliness seemed to be thelr predominating characteristic, since there can be n higher proof of friendship than that which implies a willingness to take trouble. to make sacrifices, to be obliging and generous to one's friends. Jeremy Taylor speaks of friendship as "the greatest love and the great usefulness of which brave men and women are capable." St. Basil says: "A good deed is never lost : he who sows courtesy, reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness, gathers love." These sisters merited and enjoyed the respect, approval and love of the entire community: Respe4. because of their sterling qualities; approval of their good deeds; and love, because they were so hnman, so sympathetic and so cheery. Their coming into an assembly was as the coming of the sunshine.
While they were eminently reformers and worked heartily with and for any move- ment that was for the betterment of mankind and the world. yet their keen interest in humanity was so genuine that they could and did differentiate between the sin and the sinor The anomaly of their attacking a practice. yet retaining friendly relations with the perem, was often a result of this ablity.
Since their interests were so democratic, they belonged to many organizations: The Farmers Inst tos. several social and literary clubs, the Good Templars and, later, the Woman's Christin Temperance Union, the Ohio Society of the Daughters of 1812. the Daughters of the American Revolution the Farmers Club. the ILalth and Welfare League, the Daughters of Rebekah and the Woman's Elective Franchise Association. In all these organizations both took promulnent parts, serving ou committees, as officers and as delegates to state and national I nies,
Neither was a member of any clure, but they affiliated most closely with the Universalist, loving. as Bertha expressed it. "its beautiful philosophy and rational teaching."
Both sisters served as members of the London board of education, Bertha from 1495 to 1898, Esta from 1908 to 1911, il Isive. During all the years of their service we ther missed a meeting, regular or special. and both were unusually faithful and of ient in the discharge of their duties. Their father, also, had served the community like capacity.
The sisters traveled much together, both in this country and in Europe, and, with their wontod comradeship, gave freely and graphically of their experiences al Impres slons to interested friends. Snch was their capacity for enjoyment, that their cup of
ESTA
BERTHA
COOVER SISTERS
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MADISON COUNTY, OHIO,
happiness was as filled to the brim with the beauties of a field flower in the pastures of Madison county as by the glories of a sunrise in the Alps.
Bertha was county chairman of the woman's day of Home-Coming Week of Madison county's centennial year, in July, 1911, an honor which she appreciated more than any other ever conferred upon her. The lovely spirit of unity in which the women of Madison county co-operated was a tribute to her tact, her courtesy, and efficient leadership.
The status of woman in the political and econonomic world aroused the deepest interest of these sisters. In her autobiography, Bertha says, "In the belief of equal political rights for men and women in which I was brought up, I found my deepest sympathy. Here, too, I did my best work. In February, 1895, I joined the Woman's Elective Franchise Association, which had just been organized. I served as secretary, president, and treasurer of this body, and often on committees. I was elected to the important office of state corresponding secretary of the Ohio Woman's Suffrage Associa- tion, serving for nine years. I attended all the state conventions during that time and most of the board meetings. I made some reputation as a speaker, being often on for an address at state conventions, speaking for resolutions before political con- ventions and various organizations, and before both branches of the Ohio Legislature at Columbus. It was my privilege to act as state delegate from Ohio to several con- ventions of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. In Chicago, I believe the year 1907, and at Buffalo in 1910, I served on the resolutions committee with Henry B. Blackwell as chairman. The first year after his death, I not only served on the committee, but was chosen its chairman in 1911 at Louisville, Kentucky. In the sum- mer of 1908 I acted as national press chairman of the association for nine weeks, dur- ing the absence in Europe of the regular chairman. I also assisted in editing Progress, the national organ of the suffrage movement at that time." Thus modestly is set forth a work extending over years of close application, of sacrifice of time and strength, and of a very great and exhausting toil, such as comes to her who is driven by her ideals.
Bertha's interest and success in this work was Esta's interest and success as well ; for in all things the sisters worked together. If one seemed to have stepped to the front to occupy some position of trust and labor, the other, in the background, was loyally upholding the worker's hands, attending to the details, performing the clerical work, and in every way clearing away the hindrances, that the other might do the more efficient work. This bond of co-operation and singleness of purpose, was mani- fested in the two in a remarkable degree. It had existed from infancy and was broken only by Esta's death, which occurred, after a few hours' illness, on the morning of December 5, 1912. Her husband. Elmer E. Harvey, to whom she was married on Decem- ber 22, 1896, survives her. Bertha's health, always a little precarious, failed under the shock of this great grief and, although she made heroic efforts to regain her interest in her wonted enterprises, life, as she pathetically remarked, "had lost its zest and could not be made to feel worth while any longer." She gradually failed and on February 5, 1915, the portals opened to let this last member of the Coover family rejoin her dear ones. The bodies of the sisters rest in quiet Kirkwood beside their father and mother.
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