USA > Ohio > Mercer County > History of Mercer County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 58
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Legislature. He was one of the foremost citizens of the county in that early day and was a leader among men, his advice often being sought by his fellow- citizens. He married Eliza Rhodes, of Kentucky, and they had eight chil- dren : Isabelle, who married (first) a Mr. Noble and after his death Lewis Brewer, of Auglaize County, in which county she died; Justus, father of our subject ; Lucius, who married Mary Miller and settled on part of the old home place, where he died; Charlotta; Justin, who married Eliza Snavely, and lived and died on that part of the home place where the father first settled; Emily, a resident of Center township, who is the widow of Andrew Snavely; Eliza' Lucinda, who married Austin Barber and resided in Auglaize County-both now deceased; and Almira, a resident of Union township, who is the widow of the late John Roether.
The maternal grandfather of our subject was Adam Panabaker, a native of Virginia, who emigrated to Piqua, Miami County, Ohio, where he was en- gaged for several years in the milling business. From there he moved to Mercer County, locating in Union township, where he remained until the time of his death, which occurred during the progress of the Civil War at the age of 75 years. He was the father of two daughters and one son : William, who served through the Mexican War, after which he returned to Illinois, where he lived until his death; Rebecca Panabaker, wife of Dr. Cyrenius Elliott, who located in Perry County and engaged in the practice of his profession until his death, which occurred at an advanced age; and Mary Jane, the mother of our subject.
Justus Hamilton was born in Kentucky, February 19, 1820, and came to Mercer County with his parents in an ox-cart when nine months old. He served one year during the Civil War in the 46th Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., and participated in a number of severe engagements. He married Mary Jane Panabaker, who was a native of Virginia, and they became the parents of four sons and four daughters : Almira, died when about 23 years of age; Isabelle, who married George Wells, a resident of Auglaize County, and died in April, 1905, at St. Marys, where they were then residing; Hugh L., one of the weal- thiest farmers of Union township, who married Lydia Patterson, and after her death married Martha Brown-he was a soldier in the Civil War; Will- iam A., who married Almeda Rittenhouse, of Michigan, and is now a resi- dent of Big Rapids, Michigan; Jennie, who married P. M. Harris and lives at Rockford; Hattie, who married Adolph Gilberg, editor of the Celina Ob- server; Charles Justus, the subject of this sketch; and Moses Silas, residing on his farm in Center township, who first married Frona Belle Dutton, a daughter of James Dutton, and after her death married Lizzie Davis.
Charles Justus Hamilton was reared on his father's farm in Center town- ship, but later attended school in Celina whither his father removed in order
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to educate his children, and where he owned and operated a tannery for a time. He attended school with Stephen A. Armstrong, C. G. O. and Henry A. Mil- ler, Charles M. LeBlond and others of Celina, prominent in the professional and business worlds. He has lived continuously in Center township since his marriage, with the exception of four years spent in Mendon and one year in Celina.
Mr. Hamilton was married, November 12, 1876, to Laura Anderson, a daughter of Joseph and Rebecca (Tarnell) Anderson and a native of Indiana, having been born near St. Joseph. The mother of Mrs. Hamilton has been dead for some years ; her father, who is a native of Pennsylvania, is still living at the age of 77 years, residing at Mendon-after the death of his first wife, Mrs. Hamilton's mother, Mr. Anderson married Nettie Blake, of Celina. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton, of whom the eldest died in in- fancy. The others are as follows : Ray, deceased at the age of eight months ; Oral, who married John Severns, resides at Casey, Illinois, where Mr. Severns is engaged in the oil business, and has three children, two boys and one daugh- ter-Beryl, Vaughn and Leo; Ethel, who married Oscar Carter, a farmer of Davidson, Canada, who raises as much as 6,000 bushels of wheat per year ; Georgia, who married Perry Miller, resides at Westfield, Illinois, where Mr. Miller is in the oil business, and has one child, Orval; and Ford, who lives at home and assists in the work on the farm.
Mr. Hamilton is a member of Mendon Lodge, No. 750, I. O. O. F., and Mendon Lodge, No. 586, F. & A. M. Politically, he is a Republican.
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EDWARD VOKE
EDWARD VOKE, one of the representative and successful business men of Mendon, cashier of the Mendon Bank, was born October 31, 1869, at Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio, and is a son of Edward Lewis and Theresa (Farwell) Voke.
Edward Voke, the paternal great-grandfather, came to America soon after his son Edward, with whom he made his home until his death in 1873. This branch of the Voke family can be traced as far back as the year 1720.
Edward Voke, the paternal grandfather, was born in Portsmouth, Eng- land, in 1810, and came to the United States in 1831. He first located at Rochester, New York, where he clerked in a general store for a time and then moved to Niagara County, where he purchased a farm and engaged in general farming for 30 years. When he retired from farm life, he moved to Spencer- port, New York, where he remained until the time of his death in 1900, at the advanced age of 90 years. He was the father of three children: Edward L .;
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Mary Jane, who married John Strong and is a resident of Spencerport, New York; and Laura, deceased.
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Edward L. Voke was a native of Hartland, Genesee County, New York, and was born December 21, 1833, and died January 17, 1898. He moved to Mercer County, Ohio, in 1880 and located at Shane's Crossing (now Rock- ford), where he remained two years and later moved to a farm in Dublin town- ship where he resided until his death. He married Theresa Farwell, who was born July 26, 1844, in Genesee County, New York, and is at present a resident of Columbus, Ohio. Four children were born to them, as follows: Lewis F., who is a practicing physician at Columbus; Edward; and Mabel and Cora, who reside with their mother. Mr. and Mrs. Voke were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Edward Voke was reared in his native township and attended the Rock- ford High School, completing the course when 19 years old. He then taught school for three years, one year in Dublin township and two years at Rock- ford. Mr. Voke was then engaged in farming until 1902 when he moved to Mendon and organized the Mendon Bank, with a capital stock of $10,000, of which Lewis F. Voke is president and Edward Voke is cashier. The Mendon Bank is one of the successful financial institutions of Mercer County, has a strong patronage, and handles practically all of the business of the northeast- ern section of the county. It opened for business February 4, 1902. The Bank is situated in a very attractive building which was erected in 1901. Mr. Voke has other business interests, owning with his brother a three-fourths in- terest in an elevator at Monticello, Ohio, under the firm name of Voke Brothers & Clay. The firm was organized in 1903 and the elevator was con- structed the same year. Mr. Voke is recognized as one of the leading and suc- cessful business men of Mercer County.
Mr. Voke was married June 24, 1894, to Elta Sidenbender, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Sidenbender, of Rockford, Mercer County. She was born in Mercer County. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Voke: Myron Van, Albert F., Mary and Carl. Mr. Voke is a member of the Mendon Lodge, No. 586, F. & A. M., and also belongs to the Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias lodges at Mendon. Politically, he is a Democrat."
REV. SAMUEL EGGER
REV. SAMUEL EGGER is the beloved pastor of St. Paul's German Evan- gelical Church, which is situated in Liberty township, near Chattanooga. He was born in Monroe County, Ohio, March II, 1857, and is a son of Samuel and Magdalena (Christman) Egger.
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The parents of Mr. Egger were early settlers in Monroe County, where they were well known. The father, who was a native of New Jersey, had en- joyed educational advantages in the East.
Samuel Egger secured his primary education in the public schools of Monroe County. After deciding to enter upon a life of religious work, he en- tered the Elmhurst Theological Seminary, which institution is located some 16 miles west of Chicago, Illinois, where he continued under theological instruc- tion for the subsequent four years. He next attended Eden . College of the German Evangelical Synod of North America, which is located in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was graduated in 1882, after a course of close study covering three years.
In the year of his graduation, Mr. Egger accepted the pastorate of St. Paul's German Evangelical Church, and remained in charge for six years, when he was transferred to St. Paul's Evangelical Churcli at Woodsfield, Monroe County. He remained there almost six years, but in 1894 he re- turned to Liberty township and resumed his old pleasant relations with the congregation of St. Paul's. To some extent, Mr. Egger is interested also in agriculture, as he owns a good farm of 80 acres in this vicinity.
Mr. Egger was married on October 26, 1882, to Mary Buckio, who was born in Monroe County, Ohio. Of their eight children, six survive, as fol- lows : Leivis S., Freda B., Simeon S., Frank T., Lovina A. and Cornelius.
Mr. Egger is one of the leading ministers of his church in Mercer County. He possesses the power to make the truth known and it is largely due to his influence that so many of the younger generation still cling to the church of their forefathers. In every walk of life he has friends and to all he is loyal in time of trouble, ministering as becomes a pious Christian leader.
WALTER NIMROD MONROE
WALTER NIMROD MONROE, justice of the peace of Franklin township, and a prominent resident of Montezuma, belongs to one of the early settled families of this town, in fact, he was born on the present site of Montezuma, which was then a part of his father's farm, on July 26, 1867. He is a son of James Henry and Elizabeth A. (Duffy) Monroe.
James Henry Monroe was born in Pennsylvania and accompanied his parents, who were Virginians, to Shelby County, Ohio, where the father bought a farm along the Miami and Erie Canal. The grandfather of our sub- ject had 17 children, the survivors being: Jonathan; Lyde, widow of Samuel Hunt, residing in Shelby County; Tawny, who is a resident of Jefferson town- ship, Mercer County; and Josephine, who married Coleman Baker, of Shelby County.
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James Henry Monroe grew to manhood in Shelby County, where he mar- ried Elizabeth A. Duffy. They settled on a farm in that county where they lived until 1856, when Mr. Monroe moved to Franklin township, Mercer County. At that time a few scattered houses made up what is now the pros- perous town of Montezuma and Mr. Monroe's farm included almost all of the present site. James H. Monroe engaged in farming until he retired from ac- tive life. His death occurred on November 20, 1892. His children were: David L. and James Francis, born in Shelby County, and Joseph Henry, Martha, Mary E. and Walter Nimrod, who were born in Mercer County. David L. married (first) Nancy Gray and after her death married (second) Bertha Swartz; he and his second wife are both deceased; James Francis mar- ried Sarah Cain and lives in Franklin township; Joseph Henry, died unmar- ried, in 1903, Martha died in infancy, Mary E. is the wife of Elias Stafford, of Montezuma.
Walter N. Monroe spent his boyhood on the farm which now forms aj part of his village home. This property he purchased from his brother. He has been one of the leading citizens of Montezuma almost since he attained manhood, having served the town as mayor for some five years, as council- man for four years, and in 1897 he was appointed a justice of the peace. In the following spring he was elected to this office and has been retained in it ever since, his service being most satisfactory to all concerned.
Mr. Monroe was married (first), in 1889, to Mary Ann Clayton, who died August 10, 1896, the mother of three chillren-Orville, Willard and Clarence (deceased). On March 7, 1897, Mr. Monroe was married to Emma Nolan, a daughter of Henry and Matilda (Younger) Nolan. The father of Mrs. Monroe was born in Mercer County and died in February, 1901. The mother was born in an old log cabin in this county where her father, Roberti Younger, had settled as a pioneer. The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Monroe are: Samuel, who married Mary Grace and lives in Center township, near Celina ; Frank, Roy, Harry and Ben, all living in Center township; Ida, wife of James Delong; and Anna.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Monroe were: Goldie, who died in infancy; and Opal, Ruth, Kale, Roy and Charles, all living at home.
Mr. Monroe is a member of the Knights of the Maccabees tent at Monte- zuma and to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge at Celina. .
JOHN POWELL
JOHN POWELL, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Washington township, residing in section 10, owns III acres of fine land in sections 10 and
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II, Washington township, and 80 acres in section 27, Liberty township. Mr. Powell was born in Butler County, Ohio, January 24, 1836, and is a son of John and Barbara (Shafer) Powell.
John Powell, our subject's father, was born near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and did not come to Ohio until after his marriage. He settled then on a farm in Butler County, not far distant from Hamilton, where he resided until 1852, when he removed to Washington township, Mercer County, where he bought 320 acres. It was mainly wild land which he cleared with the assistance of his sons. Of his eight children, John, the sixth in order of birth, and Mrs. Amanda Sarber, of Butler County, the youngest daughter, are the sole sur- vivors. The others were : Mrs. Lucy Hillergass, who died near Fort Wayne, Indiana; Mrs. Susan Bitner, who died in Wood County, Ohio; Samuel, who was a well-known farmer of Washington township; Mrs. Catherine Moore, who resided in Butler County; and Sarah and David, who died in Washington township.
John Powell's school days were passed in Butler County, as he was about 15 years old when he accompanied his father to Mercer County. He assisted on the home farm until he was 22 years of age and then engaged in farming in Illinois for about seven years. Since then he has resided in Washington township. A part of his present farm is a portion of the old home farm which his father bought in 1852. In addition to carrying on general agricul- ture, Mr. Powell has given especial attention to the raising of thoroughbred cattle and sheep and the best strain of horses. His Shropshire sheep and Polled Durham cattle have taken many prizes.
In 1868 Mr. Powell was married (first) to Fannie Jenkins, and (second), in 1871, to Maggie Wiles, both of whom are deceased. In 1875 Mr. Powell was married (third) to Emeline Kutsch, a daughter of Jacob and Catherine (Conrad) Kutsch. Mr. Kutsch came from Germany to America when a young man and was married to Catherine Conrad, in Liberty township, Mercer County. He died in 1867, but his widow survives and lives in Jay County, Indiana. Their children were: Jacob, deceased; Emeline; Katie and Sophia (twins), the former of whom is the wife of Caleb Wilson and the latter the widow of Frank Oliver; and Angeline, who died in childhood.
Mr. and Mrs. Powell have had six children, the survivors being Katie, who married John Minchoffer, resides in Washington township and has two children-Beatrice and John Cletus; Pearl, who married John Smith and has one child, Naomi; Benjamin Franklin, who married Ivy Wright and has two children, Delilah and Mabel; and Stephen Grover Cleveland and Leona, who are at home. One daughter, Maggie, died aged four years. Politically Mr. Powell is a Democrat.
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ADAM SCHAADT
ADAM SCHAADT, deceased, was in life one of the best known and most highly respected citizens of Liberty township, where he owned a farm of 160 acres on which he resided for over a decade. Mr. Schaadt was born in Van Wert County, Ohio, February 24, 1846, and died in Mercer County, March 21, 1895. He was a son of Adam and Phebe (Giesler) Schaadt.
The parents of our subject were natives of Germany and were among the early settlers of Van Wert County. Of their children, but one son survives- Philip, who resides in Van Wert County. Another son, Fred, died November 8, 1906, in Liberty township.
The late Adam Schaadt was reared in Van Wert County and from his youth was familiar with all kinds of agricultural work and devoted his atten- tion through life to farming and stock-raising. In 1880 he removed from Van Wert County to Mercer and settled in Liberty township, where he lived until his death.
Mr. Schaadt was married on August 16, 1870, to Mary Koch, who was born in Butler County, Ohio, September 28, 1850, and is a daughter of John and Mary Koch. Her parents, who were natives of Germany, settled first in Butler County upon coming to Ohio, but subsequently came to Mercer County. Twelve children were born to our subject and wife, of whom nine survive, as follows : Phebe, wife of Jacob Haas; David J. and Henry W., both of Liberty township; Susanna C., wife of William Becher, of Liberty township; Annie O., wife of Louis Alt, of Liberty township; Rosa, wife of Otto Wendel, of Liberty township; John Adam, of Liberty township; and Emma and Freda E., both living at home. The widow of our subject resides on the home farm and continues to operate the same. She, with her children, is well known and most highly esteemed in this section.
Adam Schaadt was a member of the Democratic party. He belonged, as does his wife, to the Evangelical Association. He was an affectionate hus- band, a loving father, a consistent member of his church and a good and peaceful citizen.
JAMES H. MONROE
JAMES H. MONROE, whose 40-acre farm on which he resides is situated in section 9, Jefferson township, was born in Shelby County, Ohio, near Lock- ington, on September 17, 1842, and is a son of Henry and Mary Jane (Miller) Monroe.
Henry Monroe was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, and came to Shelby County with his half-brother when 21 years old. Here he secured
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work in a sawmill and also ground corn. He was married in Shelby County to Mary Jane Miller and they had seven children, three of whom are living: James H., John and D. S.
James H. Monroe lived with his parents in Shelby County until 1856 when the family removed to a farm of 120 acres in Butler township, Mercer County, that his father purchased. It was here our subject was reared and educated, making this his home until one year after his marriage. At the outbreak of the Civil War Mr. Monroe enlisted for 100 days in Company I, 156th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. After the conclusion of his original term of en- listment, he again enlisted in February, 1865, becoming a member of Company D, 193rd Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and serving until the close of the war. In 1872 Mr. Monroe moved to his present farm which he had purchased in 1863. He has made many improvements, building a new house and barn as well as other necessary buildings. He also cultivates 70 acres in section 10, which he rents of Christopher Schunck.
In October, 1866, Mr. Monroe was married to Dena Cencabaugh. They have had 10 children, namely: William, who married Ida Beougher and lives in Jefferson township; Ralph B., who married Martha Cordier, lives in Jeffer- son township and has one child, Helen; Virgil, living on the home place, who married Lola West and has one son; Flora, who married Charles Taylor, lives in Monroe township and has three children-James Edward, Elizabeth and Ralph; Earl, who lives at home; Henry, Mary, Fannie and Gabe, de- ceased; and Laura, who married Henry Goodnick and died in March, 1901, leaving seven children-Murley, Susan, Daney, Bessie, Flora, James and Willie. Mr. Monroe has served on the School Board for several years and served as supervisor of Butler township while living there. In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Spring Valley United Brethren Church.
WILLIAM E. SLOAN
WILLIAM E. SLOAN, who is engaged in general farming on a tract of 80 acres located in section 23, Washington township, was born in Shelby County, Ohio, September 9, 1852, and is a son of Isaiah and Elizabeth (Jeffers) Sloan.
Isaiah Sloan, who was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, is a son of Hugh Sloan, and came to Fairfield County with his parents when a small child. He was married to Elizabeth Jeffers and they had 10 children, of whom William E. Sloan was the third child. Isaiah Sloan died in Washington township, Mercer County, in 1894.
William E. Sloan was reared in Shelby County on his father's farm, and when 23 years old came with his father to Mercer County, his mother having
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died when he was 15 years of age. In 1883 he formed a partnership with James C. Snyder and Henry Adams for the erection of a large tile-mill at Erastus, Washington township, in which business he engaged for a period of II years, after which he sold his interest in the mill to Mr. Swartz. He next rented a sawmill from James C. Snyder, which he operated for the next two years, and then bought a farm of 80 acres located in section 23, Washington township, which he kept only a few days, selling to Fred Hehmeyer. In Sep- tember, 1896, he bought his present farm of 80 acres, where he has since re- sided, engaged in general farming. Many improvements have been made on the place, and a fine frame house and barn have been built, the latter being completed in 1901. Mr. Sloan was married in 1898 to Maria Carmack, a daughter of Charles Carmack.
JAMES FRANCIS MONROE
JAMES FRANCIS MONROE, whose excellent farm of 76 acres is situated in section 19, Franklin township, was born May 21, 1857, on a farm in Shelby County, Ohio, and is a son of James Henry and Elizabeth A. (Duffy) Monroe. .
James Henry Monroe was born in Pennsylvania and in young manhood accompanied his parents, who were Virginians, to Shelby County, Ohio, lo- cating near Lockington. He there married Elizabeth A. Duffy, who was also born in Virginia. They had two children born to them before leaving Shelby County, viz. : David L., who married (first) Nancy Gray and (second) Bertha Swartz; and James Francis, of this sketch. After the family removed to Mercer County, these children were born: Joseph Henry, who lived to the age of 34 years; Martha, who died aged four years; Mary E., who married Elias Stafford, lives at Montezuma, where the mother of our subject also resides; and Walter Nimrod, also of Montezuma, who married (first) Mary Ann Clay- ton and (second) Emma Nolan.
James F. Monroe was about 15 months old when his parents moved to Mercer County, where the father bought a farm of 120 acres in section 30, Franklin township, on which he died in 1892. He had been a farmer all his life and was a most highly respected, worthy man. James F. Monroe attended the country schools and worked for his father until his marriage, which took place on October 17, 1879, to Sarah Cain, a daughter of D. B. Cain, of Pauld- ing County. Mr. and Mrs. Monroe have had II children, as follows : Sidney, Lloyd and Fred, all deceased in childhood; William O., who married Pearl Tinnet and has one son, Cecil, who is our subject's only grandchild; and Ida, Lura, Ethel, Stella, Dallas, Jennie and Harold, all at home. William O. Mon-
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roe is a well-known and popular school teacher, having taught for three years at Montezuma, one year in Hopewell and one year in Jefferson township.
Mr. Monroe bought his farm before his marriage, purchasing it from the Washington Wade estate. It is divided into two portions and is located near Lake Mercer. After marriage, he built his present comfortable residence and other buildings. He carries on general farming and stock-raising.
Mrs. Monroe has five sisters and two brothers, namely: Anna, who mar- ried Albert Reed; Perlina Rachel; Narcissa, who married Elias Roebuck; Mary Nancy, who married Franklin Gallapoo; Millie, who married Willis Chittington; Jonathan William, who married Laura Colvin; and David Isaiah. The father of Mrs. Monroe was born in Darke County, Ohio, married Narcissa Manning, in Randolph County, Indiana, and both reside in Paulding County, Ohio.
Mr. Monroe has been a member of the township School Board for a num- ber of years and has served the community as road supervisor for several terms. He is an Odd Fellow, being a member of the subordinate lodge, the Rebekah lodge and the encampment. With his wife he belongs to the Meth- odist Episcopal Church. He is known as an honest, upright man, and is a type of the best class of citizens that the county produces.
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