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 94
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WILLIAM J. CHANDLER.
William J. Chandler, a prosperous farmer of Canaan township, is the proprietor of "Oak Grove Farm" of sixty-six acres, situated seven miles south of Plain City on the M. V. High road. Mr. Chandler was born in Fluvanna county, Virginia, March 24, 1844, and is the son of Samuel and Martha (King) Chandler, the former of whom was a son of Carter and Elsie Chandler, both of whom lived in Fluvanna county, Virginia, until their removal to North Carolina, where they died. They had seven children, Howell. Samuel, James C., Robert, Rachel, Caroline and Sarah.
Samuel Chandler, father of William J., was reared in Fluvanna county, Virginia, and grew to manhood. He was married in that section of the state. Samuel and Martha (King) Chandler had seven children, one of whom died in infancy. William J. was the eldest; John H. was a soldier in the Confederate army; Mary E. died at the age of fourteen years; Samuel, Jr., is a retired farmer living in the state of Illinois; Pemley was the wife of Norman Mitchell, but is now deceased; Andrew is a farmer in Virginia. The late Samuel Chandler, father of these children, was a miller by trade. and was employed in different parts of the country. He died in North Carolina in 1861, and his wife two years later.
William J. Chandler, the subject of this sketch, was reared in Virginia and North Carolina and attended the common schools in these states, and obtained a common- school education, He worked in the mill with his father until he was twenty years old, and then was drafted for service in the Confederate army, serving until 1864, a period of three months. He then came to Ohio. in 1865, and settled in Franklin county where lie worked on a farm by the month.
On March 21, 1870, William J. Chandler was married to Nancy J. Fogle, who was the daughter of B. F. and Jane (Lisk) Fogle. Mrs. Chandler's father was born in Pennsylvania and her mother in Franklin county, Ohio. The former came to Ohio when he was a young man and here married. B. F. and Jane (Lisk) Fogle were the parents
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of eleven children, seven of whom are now living, namely : Nancy J., married William J. Chandler ; Ella, married William Arthur : Minnie, married Chris Poland; Katie, mar- ried Stephen Carey; John. a farmer of Union county, Ohio, married Nancy Wagner; William, single, a farmer of Monroe township: Jacob, single, a farmer of Canaan town- ship. Those deceased are: Orlo H., who died at the age of forty-five; Maggie, and two who died in infancy. Mrs. Chandler was reared on the farm, and received a common- school education. She has borne her husband for children, three of whom are now living. S. W. married Dora Reece, of Canaan township; J. F. married Jessie Erwin, of Canaan township; W. E. married Glenn Beach, who is in the Iumber business at Plain City.
Mr. and Mrs. Chandler are members of the Big Darby Baptist church. Mr. Chandler votes the Democratic ticket.
WILSON H. REECE.
To be born and reared on the farm which one's father had owned before him and which in the period of nearly one hundred years has been held in one family and owned only by two persons, should be the source of no small pride. The venerable Wilson H. Reece, a veteran of the great Civil War and a resident of Canaan township, Madison county, Ohio, owns and lives on the farm his father purchased in 1829. In all the relations of life the Reece family have stood foremost in Madison county. Three generations of the family who have lived in this section of the state have enjoyed the confidence and esteem of the public. In war and peace the Reece family has performed well its every duty, and discharged faithfully its obligations:
Of this patriotic stock the venerable Wilson H. Reece, a farmer and pioneer citizen of Madison county, living on rural route No. 1. out of Hilliard, Ohio, was born on June 7, 1845. his parents being Abram and Therisa (King) Reece. Abram Reece was born in the Old Dominion state and came to Ohio at the age of fourteen years with his parents, growing to manhood in Madison county. Ohio, where subsequently he married Therisa King, who was born in this state. About the time of his marriage he bought the Reece farm in Canaan township, and, having established himself on this farm, lived here the remainder of his life. Abram Reece was born on October 7, 1804. and died on May 5, 1874. His wife was born on March 21, 1805, and died on September 2. 1860, just before the breakout of the Civil War. Mrs. Abram Reece was the first person to be buried in the Baptist cemetery. She did not live to see her children, the sons she had nurtured. lay aside the instruments of peace and take up, at the beginning of our great civil conflict, the weapons of war. Three of her sons served in that great war. They were Robert K., David and Wilson H., the subject of this sketch. Robert K. enlisted in Company K. First Ohio Cavalry, and served four years, having been mustered into service in 1861 and mustered out of the service in 1865. He is still living and is a highly-honored and respected citizen of Brown township. David enlisted in the Union army and served in different regiments. He was, however, one year and one-half in one company. He is now deceased. Wilson H. Reece enlisted in Company F. One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in February, 1865. He was just past eighteen years old and served until September 27, 1865, at the close of the war. Mr. Reece draws a substantial pension.
The other children born to the late Abram and Therisa (King) Reece were : Charles E., a resident of Putnam county, Ohio, and the youngest in the family; Lavona, the eldest child. now deceased; George W .; William K .; Sophrona : Edwin W., and Lena M.
After the war, Wilson H. Reece returned to his farm in Madison connty. and here he has lived ever since. Three years after the close of the war, on October 8, 1868, he
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was married to Mary J. Walker, the daughter of Nathan and Clara (Amentrout) Walker, who was born in Centerville, Iowa, in 1851. Mr. and Mrs. Reece are the par- ents of ten children, eight of whom are now living. One died. in infancy, and Ray R., born on October 5, 1885, died on September 11, 1914. The living children are: Dora R., the wife of Willard Chandler; Nora, the wife of Martin Nunanaker; Clarence, who married Bertha Biglow; Walker, who married Nellie Lendle; Maud, the wife of John Scofield ; Clara E., the wife of Rodney Bidwell; Anna M., who is ummarried and lives at home ; and Hazie, who was graduated from the Plain City high school and is a teacher iu Brown township.
Mr. and Mrs. Reece have one hundred and thirty-two acres of land, ninety-eight acres of which are in Canaan township, and thirty-five acres are in Brown township. They are quiet and unassuming citizens. Mr. and Mrs. Reece are members of the Big Darby Baptist church. Mr. Reece has been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, and votes the Democratic ticket.
WEBSTER E. SHERWOOD.
The late Webster E. Sherwood, who was a prosperous farmer of Canaan township, Madison county, Ohio, until his death on December 29, 1909, was a son of Andrew and Emily Sherwood, and was born in Canaan township, Madison county, Ohio, May 30, 1863. He was reared by his grandparents on the farm and received a common-school education in the public schools of his native township.
On June 1. 1892, Webster E. Sherwood was married to Viola M. Beyer, who was reared on a farm in Brown township. She received her early educational training in the public schools, and later became a student at Ohio Wesleyan University, at Dela- ware. Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Sherwood were the parents of four children: Rollin B., born on July 17. 1893, is unmarried and lives with his mother; Neal A., February 12. 1895, a graduate of the Plain City high schools, also lives at home with his mother; Mary E .. December 22. 1896, also a graduate of the Plain City high school ; and Virginia M., January 17, 1899, who is living at home with her mother, is a graduate of the Plain City high school.
Mrs. Webster E. Sherwood was born in Franklin county, Ohio, March 30. 1866. and is a daughter of Cornelins and Mary ( Hamilton) Beyer. the former of whom was born in the Keystone state. October 30, 1836, the eldest of ten children. Cornelius Beyer was descended from Abraham Beyer, who came from Austria to this country, landing at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1736. Cornelius Beyer belonged to the fourth genera- tion of the Beyer family in America. He came with his parents to Ohio in 1844. They located near Columbus in 1853, and nine years later they came on to Canaan township. Madison county, Ohio. and settled on the Big Darby creek.
At the outbreak of the Civil War Cornelius Beyer enlisted in the First Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry. He was made a corporal and later he was promoted to. the rank of sergeant. He was wounded and captured on October 1, 1863. After being taken prisoner he was confined in Libby prison and at Danville until his parole on October 1, 1864. He was discharged from the service on October 1. 1864.
Cornelius Beyer and wife were members of the Baptist church, and took an active and interested part in the church work, he being the superintendent of the Sunday school of the Big Darby Baptist church for many years. By his marriage to Mary J. Hamilton on March 16, 1865, there were four children born: Viola, the eldest, is now the widow of Webster E. Sherwood ; William M. married Della Helser; Harriet R., the wife of Riley Wilcox ; and Margaret, the wife of Harry Wilkins.
Cornelius Beyer was a member of the Grand Army Post at Hilliard, Ohio. He
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was a Republican in politics, and took an active and interested part in local public matters. He died at his home on April 27, 1907. Ilis widow is still living.
The late Webster E. Sherwood was a member of the Big Darby Baptist church, and was very active in the work of this church, serving as treasurer for some time. All of the members of the Sherwood family are connected with the Big Darby Baptist church and are active in the various societies and organizations of that church. Mr. Sherwood was a member of the Knights of Pythias lodge. Hle voted the Republican ticket.
Mrs. Sherwood is a lady of quiet refinement and culture, a very highly respected woman in the neighborhood where she lives, and where she owns one hundred and fifteen acres of land. Her farm is located six miles south of Plain City, Ohio.
RICHARD PEARD.
Many years ago there came to America with his widowed mother, a poor Irish lad, who in time was to become one of the influential citizens, financiers and property owners of London, this county ; a man whose broad charity was to influence the lives and con- duct of hundreds of people, who came under his benign influence. This poor Irish lad was the late Richard Peard, who died at a hospital in Cincinnati, on March 2, 1911.
Richard Peard was born on February 26, 1841, in the village of Fermoy, County Cork, Ireland. After the death of his father, his brother, John, went to Australia and is still living at Albury, New South Wales. When he was sixteen years old, in 1857, Richard Peard came to America with his mother and, after landing in this country, came direct to Madison connty, where, after living a few years, in the Bailey woods, he obtained a farm. Later Richard Peard moved to London, the county seat, and entered the grocery business on the site of the James Dwyer block on south Main street. Later he bought a brick building, where he remained in business until his retirement some fourteen years before his death. In the meantime, he had carried on farming on three different farms, which he owned in this county, during which period he was in partnership with his tenants, who owned with him his stock and farm equipments. He made a practice of buying up run-down farms and improving them by the erection of new buildings, the building of fences and the installation of drainage. Likewise in town. he was accustomed to buy run-down properties and to build them up for the market or for rentals. He not only built dwellings. but he built business houses as well and the city of London owes a great deal to his enterprise, his foresight and his good management. He was one of the original advocates of good roads and good streets and, as long as twenty-five years ago, was engaged almost single-handed in an effort to obtain the paving of Main street, which work, however, was not finished until 1914.
The late Richard Peard preferred to attend to his own business, rather than to engage in public enterprises or to seek a public career However, he had served as a member of the London council. Much of his success in life undoubtedly was due to his ability to forecast future developments and this fact has been deeply realized since his death.
Reared in the Catholic church, Richard Peard affiliated with St. Patrick's parish and was interested in all of its various activities, including especially the school, where the early education of his children was received. He was very fond of music and took considerable pride in giving the very best advantages to his danghter, Caroline, who was possessed of a fine lyric soprano voice and, who during her life, filled many musi- cal engagements, and at times was heard with great favor in the great music hall at Cincinnati. Richard Peard's head was full of music, especially the old airs of Ireland and Scotland. He was ever clean in his life "and was never known to use foul lan-
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guage. He enjoyed his companions and his old friends, especially those who became dependent upon his charities. His charity was one of the noteworthy features of his life.
On February 12, 1878, Richard Peard was married to Mary Fogarty, of London, this county, daughter of John and Ellen Fogarty. She was born in London and was about fifteen years her husband's junior. The London home of the Peards was for many years one of the attractive and well-known social centers of the county. This was especially true during the time the two elder Peard daughters were at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Peard were the parents of seven children, of whom six are living. Caroline and Delphine were educated in the London high school and at St. Mary's of the Springs Academy, an institution maintained by the Dominican Sisters at Colum- bus, Ohio. At the latter place, she was well started on her musical career and even before her graduation from St. Mary's, she had been praised very highly on account of her beautiful voice. Later she pursued vocal training under Professor Hosea, of Cincinnati, and her voice attracted considerable attention in the Queen City. In her home town she was well known, not only in musical circles, but in religious work. Her death, on April 20, 1910, at the age of twenty-eight years, was keenly felt by the people of that city. During the later years of her life, she was permitted to travel a great deal, which, no doubt, prolonged her life to a considerable extent. Another daughter, Delphine, is now Mrs. J. J. Lucik, whose husband is a furniture manufacturer of New Albany, Indiana. Mrs. Lucik also enjoyed educational advantages quite similar to those of her sister, Caroline, and is a graduate of the Hayward School of Elocution and Act- ing at Cincinnati. John, one of the sons who still lives at home, attended Niagara University, at Niagara Falls and is the administrator of the Peard estate. He is spe- cial agent for his mother and has pursued the policy of his father in building houses and improving vacant lots owned by the father at the time of his death, The other Peard children are Mary, Walter, Helen and Henry, who live at home.
LEONARD LANE.
Few of the younger farmers of Canaan township, Madison county, Ohio, have accom- plished more than Leonard Lane, a prosperous young farmer who owns the old Lane homestead in Canaan township, located five miles south of Plain City, and sixty acres in another farm in Canaan township. Mr. Lane lives on rural route No. 2, out of Plain City, and on the farm which is a part of the old Lane farm,
Leonard Lane was born on February 2. 1879, in Canaan township, Madison county, Ohio. He is the son of Luther, Jr., and Josephine (Kees) Lane, the former of whom was born on the farm now owned and occupied by his son. He was reared on the old Lane homestead and died about 1889. The history of the Lane family is contained elsewhere in this volume under the sketch of Luther Lane, Sr.
To Luther and Josephine (Kees) Lane were born two children: Leonard, the sub- ject of this sketch; and Lillian, who is the wife of Vernon Barlow, of Los Angeles, California.
Leonard Lane was reared in Canaan township but lived subsequently in Plain City, where he attended the Plain City schools. He was graduated from the Plain City high school with the class of 1900. For some time thereafter he lived in Columbus, Ohio. Mr. Lane was married, in 1901, to Mattie E. Davis, who is the daughter of John and Sarah (Thomas) Davis. Mrs. Lane was educated in the public schools of Brown town- ship, Franklin county, Ohio. She has borne her husband one daughter, Lucile, who was . born in September, 1902.
(41)
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Mr. and Mrs. Lane are members of the Big Darby Baptist church. Mr. Lane votes the Republican ticket. He and his wife are honorable citizens of Canaan township, highly respected in the community where they live and popular among their neighbors.
REV. F. MARION MYERS.
There is no earthly station higher than the ministry of the gospel and no life can be more uplifting and grander than that which is devoted to the amelioration of the human race, a life devoted to the betterment of human conditions. A man who is willing to cast aside all earthly crown and laurels of fame in order to follow the foot- steps of the lowly Nazarene. deserves the highest praise and commendation for his sacrifices. It is not possible to measure adequately the breadth of such a life, for its influence permeates the lives of succeeding generations, and the power and influence goes on unceasingly. One of the self-sacrificing, ardent and loyal spirits of the Chris- tian religion is Rev. F. Marion Myers, pastor of the Big Darby Baptist church, which is lecated five miles south of Plain City, Ohio, on the Plain City and West Jefferson pikes.
F. Marion Myers was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, September 1, 1855, and is the son of Elijah and Rebecca (Evans) Myers, the former of whom was the son of Solomon and Mildred ( Hunt) Myers. Rebecca (Evans) Myers was the daughter of David and Jane (McFarland) Evans. Solomon Myers was born in Montgomery county, Kenutcky. He was a farmer by occupation and an active worker in the Baptist church in which he served as deacon for many years. Subsequently, he removed to Harrison county, Kentucky, and farmed there until his death. He had three sons and one daugh- terter, James, Robert, Julia A. and Elijah.
The paternal great-grandparents were Henry and Hannah Meyers. He died in 1824 and she died in 1836. Both came from Virginia and located near Mt. Sterling, Kentucky. where they lived until their death.
Elijah Myers grew to manhood in Harrison county, Kentucky, and, having received a common-school education and being a man of more than average native ability, he became a leading farmer in his community. He was an active worker in the Baptist church. By his first marriage, the following children were born, Mary E., James R .. Harriett M., John G .. Luther H., F. Marion. Emma J., and David W. By his marriage, secondly. to Saralı Poynter, there were three children. Lew P., Edgar and Joseph L.
F. Marion Myers was reared on a farm in Harrison county. Kentucky, and, when old enough, entered the district schools and continued his education in the public schools until about seventeen. Later he taught in the public schools of Montgomery county, Kentucky, but finally entered Bethel College, at Russellville, Kentucky. He took a partial course. Still later he entered the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, at Lonisville, an institution that was organized in 1859 and of which Dr. E. Y. Mullins is now president. and was graduated in the class of 1884.
After his graduation Mr. Myers was appointed a missionary to Saltillo, Mexico, where he served for about one year. Upon returning to Kentucky, he became pastor of the Baptist church at Augusta. After being there for three years, he came to Ohio. During 1892 Mr. Myers was pastor of the Big Darby church. Mr. Myers then went to Sidney, Ohio, where he remained for six years. From Sidney he removed to Galion, where he was pastor for three years, and from Galion to Sunbury, Ohio, where he was pastor for another three years. From Sunbury he removed to Pomeroy. Ohio, where he served six years, returning to Big Darby in 1911. Since 1911, Mr. Myers has had charge of the church at Big Darby.
The Rev. F. Marion Myers was first married to Mary S. Thompson of Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, who bore him one child. Mrs. Myers died in 1885 and the child in infancy.
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In 1892 Mr. Myers was married to Lottie M. Coe, of Union county, Ohio. She was born in Allen township, Union county, and was educated in the common schools and in the Marysville high school. Later, she attended the University at Wooster, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Myers had no children. Although Mr. Myers was born a Democrat, he has never taken any considerable interest in politics. He has devoted himself, rather, to the ministry of the Christian religion, which is his chosen field, the work he loves and the work wherein he can and does perform the greatest service.
ANDREW J. TORBERT.
Some of the best citizens and some of the best farmers now living in the great Buckeye state have come here from Pennsylvania, but few of them have enjoyed the same or approximate measure of success as Andrew J. Torbert, a prosperous farmer of Darby township, Madison county, Obio, and the proprietor of "Fairview Stock Farm," a magnificent tract of land comprising two hundred acres, which is situated two miles east of Plain City. Mr. Torbert was one of nine children, and having been born of a large family, found it necessary in life to shift for himself. If there is any one reason greater than another for his present affluence, it is because he acquired the habit early in life of saving a part of his earnings, no matter how small they might be. Starting with a small tract of land in Darby township, he has added to it from year to year until he now owns a large farm and is comfortably situated.
Andrew J. Torbert was born in York county, Pennsylvania, June 19, 1863, and is the son of William and Elizabeth (Clark) Torbert, both of whom are now deceased. They had nine children, of whom only five are living at the present time.
Andrew J. Torbert was reared on his father's farm in York county, Pennsylvania, and lived with them until he was fifteen years old, attending the public schools in the meantime so far as he was able to do this. After he was fifteen years old he began working on neighboring farms and out of his meager earnings saved a little every month and every year. He continued in this way for a period of seven year's, until he was about twenty-two years old, and had been able to save rather an attractive sum of money. 4
At the age of twenty-two, in 1885, Andrew J. Torbert was married to Anna Mottler, and after his marriage rented land for a period of about seventeen years. He then purchased fifty-one acres of land, and has added to this tract until he now owns his splendid farm in Darby township. The important phase of Mr. Torbert's career is not that he owns two hundred acres of land, not that he has been successful, but that he has been able to build his own fortune unaided and unfavored.
From the time he was a boy he has been interested in good horses, and on his farm today has a great many purebred and registered Percheron horses. He also. keeps high grades of other live stock, espcially Duroc-Jersey hogs.
Mr. and Mrs. Torbert have a family of seven living children, as follow: Ina graduated from the Plain City high school, and is the wife of Ellis Means, of Cali- fornia ; Emma is also a graduate of the Plain City high school, married Eugene Deleon and resides in Plain City ; Flora is unmarried, and lives at home with her parents; Samuel and William are also at home; Alice is a student in the Plain City high school, and Phyllis is just beginning school, being only seven years old.
Mr. and Mrs. Torbert are members of the Presbyterian church at Plain City. Mr. Torbert usually votes the Democratic ticket but is independent both in thought and action, and is not definitely attached to any party, choosing among the candidates for public office as he would choose in any other responsibility of life, with wisdom, foresight and good judgment.
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THOMAS C. GREGG.
However great may be the contribution which the professional man makes to his community, it should be remembered that the business man who conducts his affairs with dne regard to the principles of honor also becomes a benefactor. Few residents of this county are as well known as the man whose history is here recorded briefly. He is representative not only of the business interests bnt of a type of manhood which always deserves and wins the admiration of friends and the esteem and confidence of the public. Thomas C. Gregg, vice-president of the West Jefferson Commercial Bank, has done much to advance the material welfare of the community in which he and his family have lived. He is a native of Jefferson township, having been born here on July 13, 1866.
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