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 92
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Lewis Johnson, father of the subject of this biographical sketch, was born in Madi- son county, and his wife, Eliza J. (Gardner) Johnson, was a native of Ross county, this state, who came with her parents to Madison county. At the time of his mar- riage, Lewis Johnson rented a farm, which is the present site of West Jefferson, and later owned a farm on the Urbana road. His prosperity increased until he was the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres of land. all fine tillable ground. In addition to his agricultural interests, Mr. Jolmson had other valuable investments. He and his wife were the parents of three children, Margaret, who became the wife of Calvin Bradley. Joseph H., and Luther W. Johnson, of Jefferson township.
Joseph H. Johnson was united in marriage on March 20, 1878, to Mary Biggert, daughter of Samuel and Mary ( Roberts) Biggert. She was born in September, 1852, in Franklin county, Ohio, and was reared at Georgesville. To this union two chil- dren have been born. Samnel, who died at the age of sixteen years, and Carrie, who was educated at the district schools, and is now the wife of Paul B. Holway, and the mother of one son, Thorburn Johnson, born on April 13, 1914. Mr. Holway is a grad- uate of the London high school and of the Ohio State University, and at one time was elected to the office of school superintendent, having taught school for six years. Mr.
JOSEPH H. JOHNSON AND FAMILY.
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and Mrs. Holway are members of the Methodist Episcopal church as are also Mr. and Mrs. Johnson.
The maternal grandparents of Mrs. Johnson were Thomas and Susan Roberts. well-known pioneers of this county, who lived where the widow of John Roberts now lives. Mrs. Johnson's paternal grandparents were John and Margaret Biggert, pioneer residents of the Big Darby creek neighborhood in' Franklin county. Mr. Johnson's maternal grandparents were Joseph and Jane Gardner, early residents of Ross county, who later came to Madison county where they spent the remainder of their lives.
Mr. Johnson's beautiful home, which is located on Rural Route No. 1, out of West Jefferson, was erected in 1906, at a cost of three thousand dollars. It is of modern style of architecture, containing nine rooms and is heated with natural gas. Mr. Johnson · made all the extensive improvements on his well-kept place and has what generally is regarded as a model farm. Though still giving attention to the general details of the management of his farm, he has lived practically retired from the active labors of the farm for some years and is in a position to enjoy thoroughly the later years of his life.
ROBERT C. BEATH.
Monroe township, Madison county, Ohio, may well be proud of the high standard of its citizenship for within her' limits she numbers many men who not only possess the attributes of true manhood but who also are successful in a material way, and have attained to their various pleasing degrees of success solely by their own efforts. Prominent among the citizens of that township, who may be so designated, is Robert C. Beath, owner and proprietor of the "Bonnie View" farm, consisting of practically one hundred and eighty-four acres, located seven miles south of Mechanicsburg and ten miles from London. Mr. Beath receives his mail at London, rural route No. 7 passing his home.
Robert C. Beath is a native of Ohio, born in Ross county on April 2, 1881, one of the family of twelve children of Aaron and Catherine (Meyers) Beath. Mr. Beath's parents were both born in Ross county, passing their entire lives within its borders and their deaths have occurred only within the last few years. While they were well- . known citizens of that county and highly respected by all who knew them, they were never owners of land. the elder Beath passing his active years in employment by others. Out of their family of twelve, there are now seven living. These are: John, who resides in Ross county ; Blanche, remaining single at home; Elizabeth, wife of E. M. Gregory. of Ross county; James; Dudley; Ethel, wife of Thomas Parker; and Robert C., the immediate subject of this sketch. Those deceased are Florence, Ida. Trillia, Thomas, and a child who died in early infancy.
Mr. Beath received his elementary education in the common schools of Ross county, being graduated therefrom, and for the following two years he was a student in high school. He left his studies to engage in farm work, but later went back to his books for a year, being a student at Salem Academy.
On February 14, 1903. Robert C. Beath was united in marriage to Ida Dill. a daugh- ter of Robert Dill, of Ross county. Their marriage was the culmination of a high school romance which had lasted throughout several years, and directly after marriage Mr. Beath brought his bride to Madison county. They were young and possessed of high ambition, so although without funds, they bargained for the farm which has since been their home and which they have brought to such an excellent state of care and cultivation. Mrs. Beath has proven herself a most excellent helpmeet and is her hus- band's confidential adviser in all his plans and undertakings and has discharged most efficiently those duties which have fallen to her lot. They have a beautiful home whose (40)
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attractiveness is due equally to master and mistress in their respective places, and as the center of this home are two charming children. The elder is a daughter,. l'hyllis Roberta, who is eight years old and is attending the district schools near her home. The younger is the son of the house, Richard Lloyd, who is scarcely out of babyhood, being but four years of age. Both parents are full of plans and ambitions for the proper rearing and education of these promising little children. who will surely be well fitted for their places in the world by the time they come to years of maturity.
Mr. Beath is a man who stands "four square to every wind that blows." for dur- ing the years of his residence here he has proven himself true in every relation of life. As a natural result, he is held in high esteem by all who know him and is most worthy of this pleasing regard. He is a man of deeply religious trend, a devoted mem- ber of the Swedenborgian church, and his life is ordered along the lines of its teach- ings. He has held fast in his mature years to the excellent training given him by his parents in his boyhood and is in turn passing on to his children those precepts which make for right and proper living. In politics Mr. Beath votes the Republican ticket, although taking but scant interest in matters of that nature. He is of that class of citizens which constitute the "salt of the earth". and any community which can count a few such men as its own, is a place where life will be found on a higher plane and where much will be done for the needy in moral or material things.
JOHN H. KENNEDY.
John H. Kennedy, a prosperous farmer of Deer Creek township, Madison county, Ohio, is the manager of the upper Gwynne farm of six hundred and twenty acres, which is a part of the twenty-two-hundred-acre Gwynne estate, located six miles north of London, in Deer Creek township. This farm comprises the old homestead, and the old house which stands on the farm was used as a hostelry in stage-coach days on the Marysville pike. The old Gwynne homestead is one of the oldest brick residences in Madison county.
John H. Kennedy was born in December. 1863. on Long Island, New York, and came to Fayette county. Ohio, when a child with his parents, Philip and Winifred Kennedy. His father is still living on the West Jefferson pike. one mile east of London, having coming to Madison county about 1883. He is a farmer and has lived for twelve years near London. For some years he operated the six-hundred-acre Hicks farm and. during that time. John H., his son, received his ideas of big farming. At the age of twenty-one. Mr. Kennedy began farming for himself on a part of the Hicks farm. later taking charge of the Robert Ray farm of four hundred and sixty acres in Oak Run township. There he went into debt for tools and stock. By progressive farm- ing and careful management he soon had a good start. He has always preferred cash rent rather than crop rent. He owns his own stock and has always done a large busi- ness. He employs several men on the farm and requires from sixteen to twenty head of work horses. Mr. Kennedy has been in charge of the upper Gwynne farm for three years. He feeds two or three carloads of beeves and about two hundred head of hogs every year. He specializes in Poland China hogs and Shorthorn cattle. Ordinarily, he raises from one hundred and fifty to three hundred and twenty acres of corn, but a part of the land on which this corn is raised is rented outside of the Gwynne farm. He raises one hundred and seventy-five acres of corn on the Gwynne farm proper. In 1915 he has two hundred acres of wheat. There are two silos on the farm which furnish ensilage for the stock. -
On February 6. 1889, John H. Kennedy was married to Mary E. Slattery. the daughter of Edward and Julia (Callahan) Slattery. of Madison county. Ohio, the former of whom was a well-known farmer and died in 1892. His wife. Julia Callahan, was
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born in Ireland, and after coming to the United States was married in Madison county. She died in 1902. They were the parents of five children, Mrs. Kennedy was born in Madison county. To Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy have been born seven children, all of whom are at home, Gertrude, Bernard, William, John, Raymond, Ella and Robert. Raymond is a student in the London high school, and Ella and Robert attend the parochial school in London. Mr. Kennedy's sons are engaged in helping him to operate the farm.
A Democrat in politics, John H. Kennedy has always been active in the councils of his party. He was a nominee of the Democratic party for county commissioner în 1914 bnt was defeated. He served for two years as treasurer of Oak Run township. The Kennedy family are members of the St. Patrick Catholic church and Mr. Kennedy is a member of the Knights of Columbus.
HENRY L. HILDINGER.
Ilenry L. Hildinger, who is one of the best-known trap-shooters in Ohio and possibly in America, has won many valued trophies and today is considered one of the finest shots and cleanest sportsmen in the Middle West. By occupation he is a farmer and lives on the Mrs. John Lohr farm of three hundred and ten acres in Deer Creek township, Madison county, Ohio.
Henry L. Hildinger was born in Fairfield county, Ohio, near Greencastle, January 10, 1869, and is the son of Jacob and Naomi ( Morehart) Hildinger, the former of whom died in Fairfield county, Ohio, and the latter afterward, in company with her son, Henry L., brought the family to Madison county, Ohio, in March, 1894. The mother was born near Lancaster, in Fairfield county, Ohio, and was married, in 1867. to the late Jacob Hildinger, who was born in Wurtemberg, Germany, and who, at the age of twelve years, came to America with his parents, Casper and Christiana Hildin- ger. Mr. Hildinger was a shoemaker by trade, but. after his marriage took up farming. They lived in Fairfield county until his death, at the age of thirty-eight years. He died on April 6, 1884, leaving six children: Henry Lewis, the subject of this sketch; Jesse C., who lives near London; William A., who was a farmer and who died at the age of thirty-seven. July 2, 1909: Anna Christiana married John L. Wheeler, a farmer of Madison county ; Grace Etta is the wife of John H. Roth, of Madison county; Jacob Vernon is a farmer near London, and he and his brother, Jesse, each own one hundred and forty-one and one-half acres of land.
Mrs. Hildinger and the three youngest children purchased the present farm home of Jesse and Jacob Vernon. Jesse. William and Jacob Vernon had four hundred and thirty-five acres. but, at the latter's death, part was sold and thereupon Jesse and Jacob Vernon divided the remainder. Jacob Vernon married Rose Adams, and they had one child, William Herbert. Jesse married Etta Sands. They have no children.
IIenry L. Hildinger, who is the eldest child in the family, was fifteen years old at his father's death. He remained with his mother until his marriage, December 25, 1898, to Laura Wheeler, the daughter of Thomas and Nancy (Lewis) Wheeler, the former of whom died in 1898, and the latter is now living in London. Mrs. Nancy (Lewis) Wheeler was born in Madison county in 1840. and is the daughter of Tilman and Mary Ann (Bettis) Lewis. Mary Ann Bettis was the daughter of John and Eliza- beth Dellulia Bettis. Nancy (Lewis) Wheeler was born in Oak Run township. Her father was of French descent, and the son of Henry Lewis and Catherine ( Boroff) Lewis. Tilman Lewis removed from Madison county to near Lilly Chapel, in Fairfield township, and there died about twenty years ago. Mrs. Hildinger's father was a farmer of Oak Run township, and died in March, 1898. He served in the Civil War as a mem- ber of the First Maryland Cavalry. Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler were the parents of eight sons and two daughters. The other daughter, Mary Ellen, is the widow of George
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Robey, of London, The sons are W. S., living in Mechanicsburg; John L., of Oak Run township; Thomas HI., of West Mansfield; Franklin D., of Columbus; George W., of London; Jesse C., of Columbus; Leonard L., of near Newport, Madison county ; Lewis died in infancy.
Mr. Hildinger is a general farmer and stockman. He is an extensive breeder of Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs.
Mr. and Mrs. Hildinger have no children. Mr. Hildinger is a Republican and served eight years as treasurer of his township. He is a member of the board of directors of Madison county, a member of the county fair board, and a stockholder in the Central Bank, of London. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of London. He is vice-president of the Central Ohio Trap Shooters' League and also a member of the American Indian Fraternity, a gun club at Cedar Point, Ohio. Mr. Hildinger has a farm in Logan county, Ohio, of one hundred acres.
DELILAH J. TRUITT. 1
While the life of the faithful wife and mother of an earlier generation was full to overflowing with her many varied duties, there is not much to record concerning her activities which would attract public interest. However, only one who can appre- ciate what it means to have faithfully fulfilled the duties of her position is able to realize the benefit it would convey to posterity if a faithful record of the victories and successes of the average mother could be transferred to print. Woman today is striving for the "larger sphere" and in the years to come a work such as the one in hand may find it possible to record the careers of women who have competed with their brothers in the professions and other fields heretofore occupied by men only. But however ambitious woman may be to succeed by the side of her brothers, and however well she may perform her chosen way in life, there is one field of endeavor which is hers alone and the highest praise which can come to any woman is that which marks her as a good wife and a wise and faithful mother. Such praise truly belongs to Mrs. Truitt, widow of Joshua Truitt, the esteemed subject of this brief biographical sketch.
Delilah J. Durflinger was born in Jefferson township, this county, on August 30, 1846. a daughter of Daniel and Margaret (Anderson) Durflinger, the former born near Frankfort. in Ross county, this state, and the latter a native of the state of Virginia. Daniel Durflinger was brought to Madison county by his father when twelve years old, the mother having died in Ross county, and the father passed the balance of his lite here. Daniel Durflinger may well be called a successful man, for he started out in life for himself on the lowest rung of the ladder of success, and through his own efforts not only became possessed of considerable property, but also so ordered his life that he was held in the highest regard by all with whom he came in contact. While never uniting with any church society, he was a firm believer in all for which the church stands and was a liberal supporter of the local religious societies.
Mrs. Truitt is the eldest child in her family, the others being Elizabeth, widow of George Burnham; Anderson; Ella, wife of Henry Goodson, of Jefferson township, this county ; John W., a farmer of the same township; Mary, widow of Henry Paxon; Matilda, wife of Henry Wolfersberger and Susanna, who died when a babe of eigh- teen months.
Delilah Durflinger attended the public schools near her home in her girlhood and remained with her parents until the time of her marriage on April 17. 1866, to Joshua Trnitt. Mr. Truitt was a native of this county, having been born in Fairfield town- ship on February 9, 1845. and in that township he received his education. He was a most excellent man, held in high esteem by his fellow citizens. and the loss at his death
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on September 3, 1894, was keenly felt by a large circle of warm friends. Mr. Truitt was a faithful member for years of the Methodist Episcopal church at Lilly Chapel, and he held his fraternal affiliation in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows through the local lodge in Broadway, Union county, of which society he was a past noble grand. Mrs. Truitt also is a member of the church above named and for years has been a member of the Daughters of Rebekah. She has been active in the work of that society and has the honor of being a past worthy matron.
To Mr. and Mrs. Truitt were born six children, five of whom are living. Luella is the widow of William Case; Edward is married and lives in Marion, this state; Daniel is married and makes his home on the farm with his mother; James is married and with his family lives at Lilly Chapel and at the same place Albert also resides. Mrs. Truitt makes her home on her farm of one hundred and forty-five acres, which was originally part of her parental home. She is of that excellent type of woman who has lived and labored to worthy ends and is in every sense deserving of the high esteem in which she is held by all.
CHARLES KLEVER.
Charles Klever, a prosperous up-to-date farmer of Union township, who has had a wide and varied experience in many vocations, but who finally engaged in farming in January, 1914, on a farm of eighty-one acres, two and one-quarter miles north of London on the Marysville pike, was born in Paint township, Madison county, nine miles south of London, March 7, 1869. He is the son of Henry S. and Mary Martha (Yates) Klever, both of whom were born in Paint township, Fayette county, near Yatesville, a village named by Mrs. Henry S. Klever's family.
The Klever family came to Ohio from Pennsylvania. Chris Cleber, the great- grandfather of Charles Klever, settled near Bloomingsburg, and his remains, at the time of his death were buried in the village cemetery. It was his son, Michael Klever, and his other children who changed the spelling of the name to its present form, "Klever."
Harry S. and Mary Martha (Yates) Klever were married in 1864 and immediately came to Madison county, Ohio, where Charles, the subject of this sketch, was born. Henry S. Klever literally carved a farm of three hundred and eighty acres out of the wilderness, and of this tract, two hundred acres were highly developed. He erected good buildings on the farm, and was known as one of the most skillful agriculturists in his neighborhood. His brother. Michael Klever, is still living in Madison county, Ohio, on the Danville road, near Newport. He is an extensive stockman, and makes a specialty of raising Poland China hogs. Henry S. Klever died on his farm, in February, 1912, in his seventy-first year. His wife had died two years previously. They had a family of five children, of whom four grew to maturity. Three were living in 1915. Mrs. Letta Barrett is a resident of near Medway, Clark county, Ohio. Ella is the wife of Ed Shuck, of London. Charles is the subject of this sketch. The old home farm has been sold.
Charles Klever engaged in farming until he was twenty-two years old. In the meantime he attended the district schools and obtained a good common-school educa- tion. After reaching the age of twenty-two, he engaged for two years in the livery business at London, but about all Mr. Klever got out of these two years was con- siderable experience. In the meantime he learned the undertaking business at Colum- bus, and received a license as an embalmer. For a few months afterwards he was engaged in the undertaking business at Sedalia and later worked two years in Colum- bus as an undertaker. The next two years he was employed in Indianapolis and Chicago. He then spent one year on the old farm. Afterward he worked at the car-
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penter trade, and, in January, 1914, purchased his present farm, the James Self farm, comprising eighty-one acres, for twelve thousand dollars. The farm has exceptionally good buildings, including a fine brick house. Mr. Klever specializes in red hogs, and feeds practically all the grain he produces to live stock.
In November, 1909, Charles Klever was married to Bessie Gossard, a native of Madison county, Ohio, and the daughter of Marcellus Gossard, of London. Mr. and Mrs. Klever have had two children, Marz Martha and Charles Marcellus.
Mrs. Klever is active in the Presbyterian church in London. Mr. Klever votes the Republican ticket.
THIOMAS WHEELER.
The late Thomas Wheeler. a soldier in the Civil War and a well-known and highly- respected citizen of Madison county, was born in Carroll county, Maryland, June 17, 1841, and died on March 26, 1898, at his home in Oak Run township, on Big Plains, six miles southeast of London.
Having enlisted as a soldier in the Civil War, Thomas Wheeler served in the First Maryland Cavalry until the close of the war, having in the meantime been veteranized and having become a corporal. He was wounded three times; first. by a gun shot on the left side : second, by a hayonet thrust in the right side: and the third time by a saber cut on the head at the first battle of Bull Run. These injuries resulted in many years of inactivity. He was taken prisoner in a charge, was taken care of in a private house, and after his parole was sent to Camp Chase, Ohio. After returning to his regiment he was veteranized and served in Maryland and Virginia in the great cavalry campaigns of those states. He served in nearly all of the noted battles in these two states, and participated in many severe charges, suffering all of the privations of army life.
In the meantime, the late Thomas Wheeler's parents had come from Maryland to Madison county, Ohio. After his discharge, he also came to this county. In the fall of 1865 he met his future wife, Nancy Lewis, the daughter of Tilman and Mary Ann (Bettis) Lewis, who were living in Oak Runt township. Mr. Wheeler's parents lived in Union township, just across the township line, and the families had become neighbors. Tilman Lewis was a native of Pickaway county, Ohio, and his wife of Madison county, having been born near London. Her parents were John and Mary Bettis, both of French origin. Tilman and Mary Ann ( Bettis) Lewis lived in Oak Run and Union town- ships. Both died in the county. both at the age of about seventy-five. Thomas Lewis's father, Henry Lewis, was born in Germany, and Henry Lewis's wife, Catherine Boroff, was a native of Redstone, Virginia. She died in Oak Run township at the age of one hundred years, where the latter part of her life had been spent. Tilman and Mary Ann (Bettis) Lewis had ten children, five sons and five daughters, of whom nine reached maturity. Only two daughters, Nancy and Mary, are living at the present time. Mary is the widow of Frank Palmer, of Clark county, Ohio. Of the sons, four are living. William is a minister in the Methodist Episcopal church at Columbus. He served as presiding elder and as superintendent of the Protestant hospital for fifteen years. He is a well-known minister, especially in Madison county. George lives in London : John, at Medway, Ohio; and Joseph, at Lilly Chapel, where he is a well- known mechanic. Mrs. Nancy Wheeler was the eldest child. Catherine, who was the wife of Frank Summers, died three years ago. Margaret married Wilson Rice, and both are deceased. Mrs. Sarah Woods died in Columbus.
Thomas and Nancy (Lewis) Wheeler were married on October 18. 1866. and shortly afterwards moved to a home in Oak Run township, where he died. Since his death, Mrs. Wheeler has purchased a small home in London, where she is now living alone. Mr.
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and Mrs. Wheeler had a family of several children. as follow: Mary Ellen is the widow of George Robey, of London; Laura is the wife of H. L. Hildinger, who is a farmer living near London; Scott lives at Mechanicsburg; John operates the old farm; Thomas is a merchant at West Mansfield, Ohio; Frank lives in Columbus; George lives in London; Jesse is a resident of Columbus; Leonard is a farmer in Range township; and Lewis died in infancy.
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