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 97
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THOMAS DOUGLAS.
Thomas Douglas, who owns one hundred and twenty acres of land in Darby town- ship, and a residence in Plain City, Ohio, was born on June 16, 1864, in Canada, and is a son of John and Rosanna (Martin) Douglas, the former of whom was born in Scotland, and who came to Canada at the age of fourteen years.
John Douglas, the father of Thomas, worked by the month on farms until he was married to Rosanna Martin, who was a native of Ireland, and who, at the age of three, was brought to America by her parents. They settled in Canada, where she grew to womanhood, and where she was married. John Douglas and wife were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom are now living: Richard, a real estate dealer on the western coast; Susan, the wife of Angus McMullen, a farmer living in Canada ; Donald, a carpenter in Canada ; Thomas, the immediate subject of this review: Mary, the wife of David Philips, a resident of Canada; Robert and John, twins, both residents of Canada, where the former is a farmer and the latter is a stationary engineer; Lavina, a resident of Canada.
Reared on a farm in Canada and educated in the Canadian schools, Thomas Douglas lived in the Dominion until nineteen years of age, when he came to the United States
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and located in the state of Ohio. Later he married Ora Lombard, who was born in Darby township, and who is a daughter of Dyer and Samantha Lombard. Mrs. Douglas was educated in the common schools of her home county. Thomas Douglas and wife are the parents of three children: Ruth, a graduate of the Plain City high school, and a teacher in Darby township; Louise, a graduate of the Plain City high school; and Bruce, who is a student in the high school at Plain City.
Mr. and Mrs. Donglas are members of the Universalist church at Plain City, in which they take an active interest. Mr. Douglas is a Republican, although his farming interests prevent his taking a very active part in political matters. Ile is well known throughout his township as an extensive breeder of Duroc-Jersey hogs, and raises only purebred stock and has them registered.
WILLIAM H. HANER.
William H. Haner, vice-president of the Farmers National Bank, of Plain City, Ohio, was born on April 3, 1870, in the city where he now resides, and is a son of Doctor Albert and Elizabeth ( Leonard) Haner. He was educated in the public schools of Plain City, and later entered Ohio State University at Columbus, after which, for a period of six years, he was engaged in the grain business two years with R. H. Andrew and four years by himself, and then changed this line for the hardware busi- ness, which he followed for nine years. Mr. Haner owns a beautiful farm in Madison county. also one in Union county, comprising two hundred acres, and known as "Cedar Brook Farm." He is vice-president of the Farmers National Bank of Plain City, of which he is also a director. Mr. Haner is a Republican, and at one time was a mem- ber of the council. He is a member of Urania Lodge No. 311. Free and Accepted Masons, and the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity.
Albert Haner, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on October 16. 1832. in Chautauqua county. New York, and was a son of Henry H. and Sarah (Stronpe) Haner. He was the sixth child of the family, and was six years old when he came to Ohio. His early education was obtained at the schools of Wyandot, after which he began the study of medicine at the Eclectic College of Cincinnati, Ohio, attending the lectures from 1856 to 1858. He received his diploma from that institution and imme- diately established himself in practice at Cincinnat, Oho, where he was eminently successful for a number of years, his first case being one of smallpox. Doctor Haner went to Urbana in 1861, but at the end of the second year there he came to Plain City. where he practiced until his death, which occurred on February 6. 1896. Ile was nnited in marriage. in 1852. with Elizabeth Leonard, daughter of Jacob Leonard. by whom he had two sons. Jacob L, and William H. Doctor Haner was a member of the Masonic lodge No. 311. Plain City: the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Improved Order of Red Men. all of Plain City. His wife conducted a dry-goods business in Plain City at one time. Doctor Haner died on February 6, 1896, and his wife died in March, 1913.
The paternal grandfather, Henry H. Haner, was born in Rensselaer county, New York, about seven miles from Albany, where he followed farming, coming to Wyandot, Ohio, early in 1838, where he continued his vocation of a farmer. He later moved to Franklin county, Kansas, seven miles from Ottawa, and in 1863 he bought a farm there and lived on it until he died, at the advanced age of eighty-seven years. He was a son of Philip Haner, a native of Germany, who lived to be one hundred and ten years old. His wife was Sarah ( Stroupe) Haner, daughter of John Stroupe, a native of Germany. Sarah ( Stroupe) Haner was born in the Empire state and was sixty-nine years old when she died. To this union were born nine children, seven sons and two daughters.
William H. Haner was united in marriage on May 1, 1891. with Rose Douglass.
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daughter of Jeremiah and Mollie (Sherwood) Douglass. She was born in Union county. This union has been blest with one daughter, Vivian N., who is a graduate of the Piain City high school, and later attended Ohio State University for two years. She is a member of the Methodist church.
Mr. Haner has been rewarded for his industry by a liberal portion of the comforts and blessings of life, and will doubtless have many years of usefulness and prosperity.
JOHN M. MORSE, M. D.
John M. Morse, although a young man in the medical profession, has established and now enjoys a splendid practice at Resaca, Ohio. He has built up a reputation as a skillful physician and surgeon, and his list of patients is not confined to his home town. They come from far beyond the township limits, in order to have the satisfaction of knowing they will receive a scientific diagnosis. followed by the best treatment to be obtained in that district.
John M. Morse was born on May 4, 1882, in Monroe township, Ohio, and is a son of John P. and Mary J. (Mitchell ) Morse. He was reared in the township of his birth on a farm, attending at first the public schools and later entered the Milford high school. from which he graduated in the class of 1901. He then entered the Starling Medical College, at Columbus, from which he was graduated after a four-year course, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. The day of his graduation occurred on his twenty-third birthday, May 4, 1905, and the same year he located at Resaca, where he has since been in active practice. Doctor Morse was the youngest member of his class who passed the state board. Doctor Morse is a strong believer in the principles of the Republican party. His fraternal alliance is with Urania Lodge No. 311, Free and Accepted Masons. He took a competitive examination for physician in the Sioux Indian reservation schools, of Lower Broule Indian Reservation, and was one of the few to get an appointment as inspector on the reservations as to sanitary conditions. He is a member of the Madison County, Ohio State and American Medical Associations, and occupied the position of health officer for several years.
John P. Morse. father of the subject of this sketch, was born on December 28, 1839. in Union county, Ohio, and was a son of Ray G. and Sarah ( Parthmore) Morse. He was reared in Monroe township, and was a man who was well liked on account of his cheerful disposition. He always looked on the bright side of everything. He went to the Civil War, June 22, 1863, in Company B, Eighty-sixth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. On November 29, 1871, John P. Morse was united in marriage with Mary J. Mitchell. daughter of David and Elizabeth Mitchell. This union was blest with six children, George N., a high school graduate, was married to Mabel Guyer, and follows farming in Union county, Ohio; Renna, a graduate of the Milford Center high school, was a teacher for a number of years, but is now the wife of Fred Burns; John Millard, the subject of this sketch ; Ruby A., who was graduated from the Milford Center high school, became the wife of Thomas Kreamer, a farmer in Union county, Ohio; William C., attended the public schools and then entered the high school at Milford Center, from where he went to Ada, Ohio, was married to Esther Kezerta, and lives in Union county, Ohio; Sarah E. died in infancy. John P. Morse died on January 20, 1913. He was a stanch Republican. and was a mem- ber of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Dr. John M. Morse was united in marriage on June 26. 1905, with Vaughan C. Ziegler, daughter of Dr. A. M. Ziegler, of Mingo, Ohio. She was horn on April 7, 1885, and was reared and educated in the public schools of Champaign county, Ohio, finishing her course at the university at Ada, Ohio.
Dr. A. M. Ziegler was born at Fultonham, Muskingum county, Ohio, and married
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Mary Rettberg. of King's Creek, Ohio. He was educated at the public schools and taught school several years afterward. Ile was graduated in 1881 from Starling Medical College, at Columbus, and took np his practice at Urbana, Ohio. One year later he moved to Mingo, Ohio. He is a member of the Free and Accepted Masons, the Junior Order of American Mechanics, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the American Medical Association. He is a member of the Lutheran church. Doctor and Mrs. Ziegler were the parents of four children. Vaughn C., Naomi HI., Ruth and John A. Mrs. Morse's mother was first married to David Winter, an attorney of Wooster, Ohio, and one child was born to this union, Florence Estella.
Doctor Morse, like his father, is an affable man. He is a great hunter, and an expert with the pole and line.
THEODORE VOGELSBERG.
Theodore Vogelsberg is a general contractor of Madison county and one of the Well-known citizens of this section of Ohio. He was born at Rome, Franklin county, Ohio. November 12, 1869, and in the spring of 1870, was brought by his parents to this county, the family locating in London, the county seat.
Mr. Vogelsberg's father, Gus Vogelsberg, was a native of Bavaria, Germany, who had come to the United States about 1840 and who, at the age of ten years, settled hear Columbus, where, for some time, he was engaged in farming. He was also engaged in street and cellar work in the city of Columbus. For a time he rented land and later purchased land on Darby plains and became a very successful farmer, owning one hundred and thirty-seven acres. Finally he retired and moved to Springfield. Ohio, where he now lives. He and his wife had a family of ten children, among whom are the following: Nora, who married Ed. Hodge and lives in Springfield; Hattie, who is the wife of A. S. Heath, of Pike township; Katie, who became the wife of Thomas Scott, of Springfield; Bessie, who married Peter Koontz, of Springfield; Jennie, who lives in Columbus; Ada, who is the wife of Roy Rickard, of Springfield ; Theodore, the subject of this sketch; Frank, who is the proprietor of the Bookwalter hotel at Springfield, and George, who died in Arkansas.
Theodore Vogelsberg lived on the farm until twenty-two years old, at which time he began building roads under contract. About that time he farmed six hundred acres of land and, after seven years, he sold out and moved to Springfield, where he engaged in railway contract work. He built forty miles of the Dayton, Springfield & Urbana electric railway. During the next three years he operated a farm and then moved to Greene county, Ohio, where he purchased one hundred and five acres. After two years, he sold out and bought two hundred and forty acres in Warren county. In the meantime, he returned to Madison county and settled down to road and bridge contracting. At the present time, Mr. Vogelsberg has about one hundred thousand dollars worth of work ahead. He has a complete equipment for road building, which is worth more than twenty thousand dollars, and employs from sixty-five to seventy- five teams and men. He keeps five or six foremen, who have active supervision of the outside work. Ordinarily, Mr. Vogelsberg does from fifty to one hundred thou- sand dollars worth of work every year. He has built many gravel roads in Madison county and also makes a specialty of building macadam roads, having constructed Greenlawn avenue in the city of Columbus. He also built the Franklin road out of Columbus. Ordinarily, he manages from four to six jobs at one time. While his specialty is road building, he is able, with the equipment he has, to do all kinds of bridge work or whatever is connected with the construction of roads.
At the age of twenty-eight years, Theodore Vogelsberg was married to Sallie R.
THEODORE VOGELSBERG.
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Critz, of South Charleston, Ohio, to which union have been born seven children, John, Mary, Fred, Theodore, Jr., William Allen and Edna.
Mr. Vogelsberg attends strictly to his own business and has no important outside interests. He is not interested especially in politics and, so far as he exercises his right as an American citizen, he votes independently, not being tied to any party. He is a member of the London lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Knights of Pythias. Mrs. Vogelsberg is a member of the Quaker church and Mr. Vogelsberg is a Intheranl.
MARION F. SANFORD.
Marion F. Sanford, farmer, London, Ohio, was born on January 12, 1853, in Monroe township, Madison county, and is a son of William and Caroline (Brown) Sanford. He was reared on a farm and obtained his early education at the public schools, after which he attended the National Normal School, at Lebanon, Ohio. When his normal course was completed he began to teach and followed that work for eight years, abandoning school work for agricultural pursuits, in which he was much inter- ested. After his marriage he rented the home farm from 1895 to 1902. Mr. Sanford is a stanchi Republican, and has served as township treasurer, as well as township clerk, for several terms, in addition to which he served as census enumerator in 1890 and 1900. He is greatly interested in the subject and science of agriculture, and is president of the Madison County Agricultural Society, in which he is serving his third term. Mr. Sanford is a member of the Methodist church, has served on the official board, and is now superintendent of the Sunday school at Plumwood, and is an active worker in the church, to which he contributes liberally.
William Sanford, father of the subject of this sketch, was born on March 2, 1819, at Hoboken, New Jersey, and was a son of Nathan P. and Anna Sanford. His wife was Caro- line (Brown) Sanford. He came with his parents to Somerford township in 1833, and settled there, remaining until 1855. To William and Caroline Sanford were born ten children, seven of whom are living in 1915: David B., born on May 18, 1850; Mary A., October 23, 1851, and is the widow of John W. Williams, and lives at Jeffersonville. Fayette county, Ohio; Charles, December 20, 1854: Marshall, December 20, 1856, is an attorney at Lima, Ohio: Louisa became the wife of John Sceva, president of the Farmers Bank at Mechanicsburg, Ohio; Marion F., January 12, 1863: Carrie M., July 29, 1865, is the wife of Percy Moore, a dry-goods merchant at Mechanicsburg. Ohio. Those deceased are: Fletcher, born on May 1, 1853, died on September 14, 1880; Edwin H., February 5, 1869, died on March 17, 1873; and Arthur, October 3, 1860, died in August, 1883.
Nathan P. Sanford, the paternal grandfather, settled in Somerford township. Madi- son county, but later moved to Allen county, where he spent the remainder of his life. His wife, Anna Sanford. died in 1855. They were the parents of seven children.
Marion F. Sanford was united in marriage, June 5, 1895, with Carrie Morris, daughter of Josiah and Orpha (Sidebottom) Morris. She was born in Monroe town- ship and educated in the public schools. and later entered the Milford Center high school. After graduating she became a teacher in the public schools and was there several years. They have one son, Morris B., who was born on November 21. 1898, and attended three years at the Plumwood high school. He is now a senior at London high school.
Josiah Morris, the father of Mrs. Marion F. Sanford, was born on March 23, 1837, in Monroe township, and was a son of David and Sarah (Weaver) Morris. He was reared on a farm and received a good education, for those days, at the public schools. He went to the Civil War on May 26, 1862, in Company D, Eighty-fourth Regiment.
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Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and was honorably discharged at Camp Delaware, September 20, 1862, his term of enlistment having expired. On July 4, 1863, he was elected captain of Company E, Second Regiment of Infantry, Ohio Militia, for the term of five years. At the beginning of the Civil War, he was farming in Missouri, when he was drafted in the Confederate Army, but he deserted and came to Ohio and enlisted, as above stated. Mr. Morris was married on February 21, 1865, to Orpha Sidebottom, who was born on November 10. 1846, at Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson county, Ohio. She was a school teacher. To Mr. and Mrs. Morris were born two children, Rosa, who became the wife of C. D. Trimble, and is living at Columbus; and Carrie M., who was born on August 18, 1871. Josiah Morris is a member of the Masonie lodge at Plain City, Ohio. He moved to London in 190S. His splendid farm consists of three hundred and forty- five acres and is located in Monroe township. Mrs. Morris is an earnest and attentive member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and they are both honored citizens of the section in which they reside.
David Morris, father of Josiah Morris, was married on June 14, 1831, to Sarah Weaver, daughter of George and Elizabeth Weaver. He came with his parents, Joseph and Levina (Drake) Morris, to Clark county, Ohio, in 1812. This union was blest with six children : John W., Benjamin F., Solomon and Josiah, twins, and both living in 1915. Saurilda, and one other. David Morris, after his marriage, located on a farm in Logan county, and lived there until he came to Madison county and settled in Monroe township, where he spent the remainder of his life. He served his township as justice of the peace, treasurer, and trustee. His death occurred in 1894.
Mr. Sanford is a strictly honorable man in every sense of the word. IIe is quiet, retiring in his disposition, and has many loyal friends. He moved to his present farm of one hundred and seventy acres in 1902. On this farm he has put valuable improve- ments, consisting of a good house and barn, and now has a pleasant. comfortable home, which he and his wife enjoy to the fullest extent.
JOHN C. BUTLER.
John C. Butler, a skillful farmer of Darby townhsip, Madison county, Ohio, who lives on rural route No. 2, out of Plain City, Ohio, and who cultivates two hundred and sixty acres in this township, was born in Union county, Ohio, May 16, 1865, the son of John and Jane (Crego) Butler.
John Butler was a native of County Kilkenny. Ireland, and at the age of fourteen came to the United States a poor boy and located at West Jefferson, Ohio. Later he removed to Paulding county, Ohio, but was married in Columbus, Ohio, in 1864. After his marriage he located in Jefferson township. Madison county. Having acquired one hundred and sixty acres of land in Paulding county, Ohio. in 1882, he removed to Paulding county and lived there until his death. He was the father of six children, three of whom are now living. as follow: Edward is a farmer in Paulding county ; Martin is also a farmer in Paulding county: John C. is the subject of this sketch.
Born and reared on the farm in Madison county, Ohio, John C. Butler remained here until seventeen years old, but accompanied his parents to Paulding county in 1882. He remained there eight years, after which he returned to Madison county, where he has lived ever since. Mr. Butler's education was obtained in the common schools of this county.
On February 17, 1892. two years after his return to Madison county, John C. Butler was married to Catharine Holland, the daughter of John and Mary Hol- land, who was reared in Madison county, Ohio, and educated in the common schools. Mr. and Mrs. Butler have had three children, Dorothy. Walter and William Jennings Bryan. Dorothy was graduated from the public schools, and is the wife of R. F. Bailey,
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of Union county, Ohio. Walter was graduated from the common schools, and is a farmer by occupation and lives at home. William Jennings Bryan lives at home.
Coming from good old Irish stock, Mr. Butler is recognized as one of the most honorable citizens of Madison county. He is an extensive breeder of live stock and a prosperous farmer on the two hundred and sixty acres of land which he occupies as a tenant. Mr. and Mrs. Butler and family are members of the Roman Catholic church of Plain City. Mr. Butler votes the Democratic ticket, and has served as a member of the Madison county central committee.
EBER W. BIDWELL.
Eber W. Bidwell, farmer, West Jefferson, Ohio, was born on June 11, 1877, on the , old Bidwell farm, where his father still resides, and is a son of Monroe and Martha (Kreamer) Bidwell. He was reared on the old farm, and when old enough, attended the district school during the winter months, and assisted on the farm in the summer, quitting school at the age of fourteen years, and was married when eighteen years old. Mr. Bidwell has always given his best attention to his agricultural interests, and has given a portion of his attention to the breeding of fine stock, among which may be found some registered hogs and cattle. He is a Republican, but has never taken an active part in local politics, outside of being generally interested in the progressive welfare of the community. He is one of the directors of the People's Commercial and Savings Bank, at London, Ohio.
A biographical sketch of Monroe and Martha (Cramer) Bidwell, parents of Eber W. Bidwell. is presented elsewhere in this volume.
Eber W. Bidwell was united in marriage with Maggie Burrell, who was born in Madison county, and died April 2, 1897, at the birth of her child, who was reared by his grandparents, attending the schools at Ada, Ohio. Mr. Bidwell was married, secondly, in 1899. to Alta Ford. They had two children. After the death of his second wife. Mr. Bidwell was married to Mrs. Magdalena (Hansel) Hanson, widow of George Hanson, to which union no children were born. Mrs. Bidwell had two children by her former husband, Leslie and Mabel.
Mr. Bidwell's home place, on rural route No. 2. West Jefferson, Ohio, is known as "Darby Plains Stock Farm," and consists of seventy-three and one-half acres. The place is well and scientifically managed, and Mr. Bidwell enjoys the reputation of being one of the progressive and honorable residents of his township, where he is known and liked by all. Mrs. Bidwell belongs to the Ladies' Aid Society at Gillivan.
CLARK WILSON.
Clark Wilson, farmer and clerk of Monroe township, Mechanicsburg, Ohio, was born on October 15, 1860, in Somerford township, and is a son of Valentine and Hannah (Clark) Wilson. His mother died when he was nine days old, and he was reared and cared for by his maternal grandfather. Robert C. Clark, until he grew to manhood. He was given a good education in the public schools of Clark county, Ohio. living with his grandfather until the time of his marriage. Mr. Wilson has always been a stanch supporter of Republican policies, and in the interest of his township served four years as township trustee, and is in his second year as township clerk. He also officiated as township treasurer for four years. He is at present associated with M. E. Thomas in the manufacture of drain tile of all kinds. Mr. Wilson spent five years in Los Angeles, California, but the balance of his life has been spent in Ohio. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church at Plainwood, Ohio.
Valentine Wilson, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Madison county, Ohio, and was a son of Elias Wilson. His youth was spent in Madison county, Ohio.
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where he was later united in marriage with Hannah Clark, who was born in Clark conuty, Ohio. Mr. Wilson died in 1905.
Clark Wilson was united in marriage with Lannie Thomas, daughter of John M. Thomas, by whom he had two children. Blanche, deceased, and Calvin, who is following agriculture in Madison county, Ohio. Mrs. Wilson died and Mr. Wilson was married, August 15, 1895, to Fannie Ronemus, daughter of George and Maggie (Heaton) Ronemus. She was born on May 25, 1868, in Madison county, Ohio, receiving a good education in the public and high schools of London, Ohio. The children born to this union are as follow : Raymond, a student in the Plainwood high school; Robert, and Eher, twins, and both graduates of the public school, and Frederick.
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