USA > Ohio > Morrow County > History of Morrow County, Ohio; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests, Vol. II > Part 36
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WILLIAM TAYLOR .-- The substantial and well-to-do citizens of Marengo have no more worthy representative than William Taylor, who has accomplished a satisfactory work as an agriculturist and is now living retired from the active cares of business, having by industry and thrift accumulated a competency. A native of Penn- sylvania, he was born May 28, 1844, in Washington county, a son of David C. and Margaret ( Phillips) Taylor.
Moving with his family from Pennsylvania to Ohio, David C. Taylor lived for a short time in Columbiana county, where he fol- lowed his trade of a miller. Subsequently locating in Morrow county, he purchased land and was afterward for many years en-
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gaged in tilling the soil. He spent the closing days of his long and nseful life in Sparta, Ohio, passing away at the venerable age of eighty-four years and ten months. His wife preceded him to the life beyond, passing away December 13, 1866. They were true Christian people and faithful members of the Chester Baptist church. Seven children blessed their union, as follows: Robert, William, David, Benjamin, Albert, Nancy A., wife of John A. Showalter, and Mary, who died unmarried.
The second child in order of birth of the parental household. Wiliam Taylor, obtained a limited education in the district schools, and on the home farm was well drilled in agricultural pursuits. In May. 1863, his patriotic ardor being aroused, he enlisted in Company F, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infan- try, which was assigned for duty at Fort Williams. At the expira- tion of his term of enlistment, Mr. Taylor veteranizcd, enlisting, September 14, 1864, in the One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he was connected until thee close of the war. On December 7, 1864, at the second battle of Stone river, he was severely wounded, and was granted a furlough of thirty days, after which he rejoined his regiment. Mr. Taylor is now a member of Hurd Post, No. 114. G. A. R., of Mount Gilead. and for three years was a member and the commander of Creighton Orr Post, No. 501. G. A. R., of Sparta, Ohio.
Receiving his honorable discharge from the army in 1865, Mr. Taylor returned to the home farm in Chester township, Morrow county, and continued a tiller of the soil for three years. In October, 1868, lured westward, he went to De Kalb county, Mis- souri, where he resided for upwards of twenty years. Returning to Morrow county in 1890, Mr. Taylor located in Chester township, and was there engaged in general farming and stock raising for a number of years, having a fine farm of one hundred and eighty acres, which he still owns. In November, 1902, he removed to his present home in Marengo, and has since enjoyed a well-earned leisure from business eares.
Mr. Taylor has been twice married. He married first, Octo- ber 3, 1871, in Missouri, Martha E. Taylor, a native of that state. She died on the home farm in De Kalb county,, Missouri, January 13, 1889, leaving three children, namely: Harry E., born August 1, 1874, married Cora E. Stumph, of Chester township; Maggie, born November 19, 1875, died July 22, 1901, and John C., born May 8, 1877, married Florence Salisbury. Mr. Taylor married for his second wife, Angeline Bradfield, who was born in South Bloomfield township, Morrow county, Ohio, May 10, 1845, a daugh- ter of David and Mary E. (Jemison) Bradfield. Both Mr. and Mrs. Taylor are members of the Methodist Episcopal church of Sparta, and are active workers in that denomination. Politically identified with the Republican party, Mr. Taylor has taken an active part in local affairs, and has served as trustee of the town- ยท ships in which he has resided.
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GEORGE F. MASTERS .- This well known citizen and representa- tive agriculturist and stock-grower of Morrow county is a scion of the third generation of the Masters family in this county, with whose annals the name has been identified since the pioneer epoch in its history. The representatives of this family have contributed materially to the industrial and civic upbuilding of this favored section of the state and have ever stood exemplar of the most loyal citizenship and of inflexible rectitude in all the relations of life. He whose name initiates this paragraph is well upholding the pres- tige of the honored name which he bears and he resides upon his splendid homestead farm of one hundred and thirty-eight and one-half acres, in Canaan township, where in addition to general farming and stock-growing he gives special attention to the breed- ing of high-grade Merino sheep, in which line of enterprise his reputation, based upon distinctive success, far transcends local limitations.
George F. Masters was born in Canaan township, Morrow county, on the 13th of January, 1856, and is a son of Jonathan and Ruth (Ewers) Masters, the former of whom was born in Knox county, Ohio, on the 27th of April, 1823, and the latter of whom was born in Virginia in 1823. The father died on his farm in Gilead township on the 29th of April, 1900, and the mother passed away on the 22nd of March, 1871, aged forty-eight years, three months and twenty-five days. Jonathan Masters was twice married and the maiden name of his second wife was Evaline Roland. Five children were born of each marriage, and of the number four sons and four daughters survive.
Jonathan Masters was a son of Robert Masters and the maiden name of his mother was Boyle. His father was born in 1790, and died in Canaan township, Morrow county, Ohio, in 1834. Robert Masters was one of the sterling pioneers of this county, where he instituted the reclamation of a farm from the wilderness, though he did not live many years after his removal to the county. The names of his children are here given : Ezekiel, Elizabeth, William, Jonathan, James, Triphena, Susan, Hannah, Cassie A. and Robert. All of the number are now deceased except Hannah, Cassie and Robert. .
Jonathan Masters was a child at the time of the family removal from Knox county to Morrow county, and he was reared to maturity in Canaan township. He received such limited educational advan- tages as were afforded in the pioneer schools and as a youth he learned the blacksmith's trade, to which he continued to devote his attention for a period of fully eighteen years. When he initiated his independent career his worldly possessions were summed up in what few necessary articles he could carry in a large and knotted handkerchief, and the timber of the man is clearly shown when it it stated that through his own efforts he accumulated a fortune of more thau fifty thousand dollars. Ile had great shrewdness and Vol. II-20
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business capacity and his investments were invariably made with perspicacity and good judgment. so that he made of success not an accident but a logical result. His course was guided by the strictest principles of integrity and honor and he wronged no man. On the contrary he was generous and kindly and his genial per- sonality gained to him friends in all classes. He gave his support to the cause of the Republican party from the time of its organiza- tion until his death and was well fortified in his opinions as to matters of public import, keeping himself well informed concern- ing the questions and issues of the hour. IIe was a zealous member of what is known as the Boundary Methodist Episcopal church in Gilead township, and his life was one of signal usefulness and honor. His name merits an enduring place on the roll of the worthy pioneers of Morrow county, where he so long lived and labored to goodly ends.
George F. Masters was but two months old at the time of the family removal from Canaan township to Gilead township, where he was reared to adult age on the homestead farm-a place that is now owned by Thomas A. Patten. The district schools afforded him due opportunities for gaining a good practical education of basic order, and this he has effectively supplemented through self discipline and through the varied experiences of an active and successful life. Upon attaining to his legal majority he located on the farm which now constitutes his home and the greater portion of which was given to him by his honored father. This is one of the fine landed estates of Canaan township and its improvements are of the best order, including a large and attractive residence equipped with modern facilities. Mr. Masters is known as one of the enterprising. progressive and resourceful agriculturists of his native county, and as previously stated, he has made a specialty of the raising of fine Merino sheep, being one of the leading breed- ers of the same in this section of the state and having registered stock entirely. He became one of the influential members of the Ohio Merino Sheep Register Association, and is still an influential factor in the amplified organization, which is known as the Ver- mont, New York & Ohio Merino Sheep Register Association, of which he was a director and a member of its pedigree committee. Though never a seeker of political preferment Mr. Masters accords a stanch allegiance to the Republican party and his influence and cooperation are given in support of all undertakings that tend to benefit the local community, as well as the state and nation. Mrs. Masters is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church in the neighboring village of Denmark.
On the 13th of February, 1878, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Masters to Miss Florence E. Adams, who was born in Morrow county, Ohio, on the 5th of February, 1860, and who is a daughter of John and Lavina (Miles) Adams. Her parents removed to Morrow county from Marion county and her father died July 11,
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1892. Her mother is still living in Canaan township. Mr. and Mrs. Masters have two children: Autha, who was born November 30, 1880, and who is now the wife of Benjamin H. Talmage, a representative young farmer of Canaan township; and J. Wesley, who was born May 18, 1892, and who was graduated in the Mount Gilead High School as a member of the class of 1911.
WILLIAM E. AUKER .- Among the essentially representative business men of Johnsville, Morrow county, Ohio, William E. Auker holds prestige as a man of considerable ability and as a citi- zen whose loyalty and publie spirit have ever been of the most in- sistent order. He has been identified with various lines of enter- prise during his active career and since 1909 he has been eminently successful in the management of his finely equipped hardware store at Johnsville, the same being one of the best of its kind in this section of the county.
A native son of Perry county, Ohio, William E. Auker was born on the 1st of February, 1862, and he is a son of Jacob and Sarah (Walker) Auker, both of whom claimed Ohio as the place of their birth. Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Auker became the parents of six children, of whom the subject of this review was the fifth in order of birth. The father was identified with farming during the major portion of his life time and he passed to eternal rest in 1896. his cherished and devoted wife having died in 1867. William E. Auker was a child of but five years of age at the time of his mother's death and at that time he was placed in the family of William Richels, where he was reared to the age of fourteen years. His preliminary educational training consisted of such ad- vantages as were afforded in the district schools of Perry county and when fourteen years old Mr. Auker left the Riehel home and began to work as a farm hand. He continued to be engaged for the ensuing five years and when nineteen years of age he established his home in Lincoln township. Morrow county, where he worked for different parties for a number of years. After his marriage, in 1888, he located on a farm in Lincoln township, which he rented for a time. Subsequently he went to Wood county, Ohio, locating near Bowling Green, working in the oil fields for a period of nine years, during the latter two years of which he was foreman in the fields. Later he was foreman of the Hartley Lumber Company for two years. In 1905, however, he decided to go into business for himself and accordingly he went to Chesterville, in the vicinity of which place he farmed for five years. He then, in November, 1909, purchased a hardware store at Johnsville, which he has condueted with noteworthy success to the present time.
In December, 1888, Mr. Auker was united in marriage to Miss Stella Burns, who was born and reared in Chesterville, Ohio, and who is a daughter of Ross and Ann (Shaw) Burns, both of whom still maintain their home at Chesterville. Mrs. Auker was
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educated in the common schools of Chesterville and she is a woman of rare charm and most gracious personality. In her religious faith she upholds the doctrines of the Methodist Episcopal church. To this union have been born three sons, namely: Charles, edu- cated in the common and high school at Bradner, Ohio, married Miss Ola Bosti and, they live at Johnsville, Ohio; Frank and Hubert remain at the parental home, both deing associated with their father in the hardware business.
Mr. Auker is a man of prominence and influence in this part of Morrow county, where he holds a secure vantage ground in popular confidence and esteem. He is affiliated with Chesterville Lodge, No. 238, Free and Accepted Masons, Bradner Lodge, No. 676, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in the latter of, which he is past grand master. Politically he accords a stalwart allegiance to the principles and policies promulgated by the Republican party and although he has never manifested aught of ambition for the honors of public office, he is ever ready to give his aid in support of all worthy measures projected for the good of the general wel- fare. He is the owner of a beautiful home in Johnsville and his business is in a most flourishing condition. As an upright, honest, affable citizen he is popular with all classes of people and he is decidedly worthy of the unqualified regard accorded him by his fellow men.
JOHN M. MOORE .- If those who claim that fortune has favored certain individuals above others, will but investigate the cause of success and failure, it will be found that the former is largely due to the improvement of opportunity. the latter to the neglect of it. Fortunate environments encompass nearly every man at some stage of his career, but the strong man and the successful man is he who realizes that the proper moment has come, that the present and not the future holds his opportunity. The man who makes use of the Now and not the To Be is the one who passes on the highway of life others who started out ahead of him, and reaches the goal of prosperity in advance of them. It is this quality in John M. Moore that made him a leader in the business world at Chesterville, Ohio, where he was long a popular and prominent factor in the general merchandise business and where he is now liv- ing virtually retired from active affairs. He is a fine old veteran of the Civil war and is widely renowned as one of the most admir- able citizens in Morrow county.
John M. Moore was born on Duncan's Island, Pennsylvania, on the 25th of February, 1837, and he is a son of James R. and Priscilla (Martin) Moore, both of whom were born and reared in the old Keystone state of the Union, whence they immigrated to the commonwealth of Ohio about the year 1846. Settlement was made by the Moore family on a farin of some one hundred and sixty acres, eligibly located four miles west of Chesterville, in Mor-
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row county. James R. Moore traced his ancestry back to stanch Scotch extraction and his wife was of Irish descent. Mr. and Mrs. Moore were the parents of six children-three sons and three daughters-and of the number the subject of this review was the second in order of birth. The names of the above children are here entered in respective order of birth: James A., John M., Jane E., Rebecca M., Perry M. and Margaret E. Both the father and mother were summoned to the life eternal in the year 1885.
Under the invigorating influences of the old homestead farm John M. Moore was reared to adult age and his early educational discipline consisted of such advantages as were afforded in the neighboring district schools. Subsequently. he was a student in the high school at Chesterville and during his high school course was engaged as a clerk in the general merchandise store of W. F. Bartlett, assisting him after school hours and on Saturdays. He proved so capable and willing a clerk that he was retained as sueh for a period of seven years. In the meantime the dark cloud of Civil war had cast its pall over the national horizon and in re- sponse to the first call for troops, Mr. Moore left his work and enlisted immediately as a soldier in the Union army. He was the seeond man in Morrow county to sign the muster roll and he became a member of Company B, Fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, under command of Captain Banning, of Mount Vernon. With his com- rades Mr. Moore was stationed at Camp Dennison and after his first term of enlistment expired he returned home and raised a company at Chesterville, the same becoming known as Company F, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. This company was commanded by Captain Meredith with James Mc- Cracken as first lieutenant and John M. Moore as second lieutenant. Mr. Moore with his regiment participated in a number of the most important engagements marking the progress of the war and in every possible respeet he proved himself a faithful and gallant soldier.
After the close of the war and when peace had again been established throughout the country John M. Moore returned to Chesterville, Ohio, where he again entered the employ of Mr. W. F. Bartlett. Later he launched out into the general merchandise business on his own account at Lima, Ohio. In 1867 he purchased a general store at Upper Sandusky, remaining there for a period of seven years. After his marriage, in 1868, he entered into a partnership with his father-in-law and former employer, Mr. Bart- lett, to conduct a mercantile establishment at Chesterville. This concern was known as the Bartlett & Moore General Merchandise Business and a very extensive and successful business was con- trolled for the ensuing seventeen years. Mr. Moore gained recog- nition as a business man of fair and honorable methods and as a citizen he is essentially loyal and public spirited.
On the 1st of September, 1868, was solemnized the marriage of
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Mr. Moore to Miss Margaret E. Bartlett, a daughter of W. F. Bart- lett, Mr. Moore's former employer, who used to remark that "John served faithfully seven years for his wife." The maiden name of Mrs. Moore's mother was Sarah P. Shurr. The Bartlett family consisted of six children, two of whom died in infancy. The names of the others are: H. Murray, Margaret E., Flora M. and Mary B. Mr. and Mrs. Moore became the parents of three children : William Bartlett, James Thaddeus and Florence Belle. The above children attended and were gradnated in the high school at Chesterville. William Bartlett married Miss Marie Dehn, of Toledo, and he is vice president of the Union Supply Company, of Toledo, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. William B. Moore are the parents of three children : Thaddeus J., John D. and George E. James T. Moore launched his boat on the commercial sea as a young boy, his first lucrative work having been that of selling papers on the streets of Chester- ville. Later he obtained a position at Delaware, Ohio, where he became the proud possessor of a salary of three dollars a week and to-day he is sales manager for the Quaker City Rubber Company, of Philadelphia, he having charge of sixty-five salesmen in a terri- tory extending from Philadelphia to the Gulf of Mexico. Florence Belle is the wife of John G. Swindeman, president and general manager of the Union Supply Company ,of Toledo, Ohio. They have two children : Marjorie L. and John Moore.
In politics Mr. John M. Moore accords an uncompromising allegiance to the principles and policies promulgated by the Repub- lican party, and while he has never participated actively in politics he is deeply and sincerely interested in community affairs, giving freely of his aid and influence in support of all measures and enterprises projected for the general good. Mr. and Mrs. Moore are honored members of the Presbyterian church of Chesterville, to whose good works they have contributed liberally of their time and means. In a fraternal way Mr. Moore is affiliated with Ches- ter Lodge, No. 238, Free and Accepted Masons; with Mount Gilead Chapter, No. 59, Royal Arch Masons; and with Clinton Command- ery, No. 59, Knights Templars. He retains a deep and abiding interest in his old comrades in arms and signifies the same by membership in Creighton Orr Post, No. 501, of the Grand Army of the Republic. Although he has reached the venerable age of seventy-four years he retains in much of their pristine vigor the splendid mental and physical qualities of his youth. He is pos- sessed of a cheerful, genial disposition, is ever ready to lend a help- ing hand to those less favorably situated than himself and he and his good wife command the unqualified confidence and esteem of all who know them.
PERRY L. FOUST .- Prominent among the active and esteemed residents of Westfield township is Perry L. Foust, a successful agriculturist and land appraiser for the township. He is a native
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and to the "manner born"; his birth having occurred in this part of Morrow county October 24, 1867. He is a son of Samuel Foust, Jr., and grandson of Samuel Foust, Sr., who was born in Penn- sylvania, of German ancestors, and subsequently became one of the early pioneers of Morrow county, settling here when the country roundabout was in its pristine wildness.
Samuel Foust, Jr., was a life-long resident of Morrow county, his death occurring while he was yet in the prime of life, in 1881. His wife, whose maiden name was Jennie Fisk, was born near Nelsonville, Athens county, Ohio, and is now living in Ashley, Delaware county, Ohio. To her and her husband three children were born and reared, namely : Perry L., Harry L., of Ashley ; and Claudia, wife of Janes Warline, of Ashley.
Brought up on the home farm, Perry L. Foust acquired his early education in the district schools, which he attended during the winter terms until fourteen years old, when he had the mis- fortune to lose his father. At the age of twelve years, however, he had begun work for an uncle, William F. Smythe, with whom he remained until ready to begin life on his own responsibility. A young man of energy and ambition, with excellent business ca- pacity and tact, Mr. Foust steadily climbed the ladder of attain- ments, and now holds an assured position among the successful agriculturists of Westfield township, his snug little farm of forty- eight acres being under a good state of culture, and responding to his magic touch. Politically identified with the Democratic party, Mr. Foust represents Westfield township on the Democratic Central Committee. He has served as township supervisor, and in 1909 was elected to his present position as land appraiser. Fraternally he is a member of Ashley Lodge, No. 421, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he is past grand, and likewise belongs to the Encampment.
On March 31, 1887, Mr. Fonst was united in marriage with Carrie Russell, who was born and educated in Westfield township, being a daughter of Evan Russell. Five children have been born into the happy home of Mr. and Mrs. Foust, namely : Clifford, who married Mabel Roosevelt, of Delaware county; Harley, who was graduated from the Cardington High School with the class of 1910; Doris, born March 5, 1901; Fern, born February 26, 1904; and Clio, born November 22, 1905.
GEORGE A. SHAW, the substantial hardware merchant of Marengo, is a native of Bennington township, Morrow county, where he was born on the 6th of October, 1866. His parents were James and Kezia (Allum) Shaw, and his genealogical pride is al- lowable over the fact that his mother was related to Sir Isaac Newton, the great man who would have been recorded in history as a master financier had he not achieved world-wide fame as a mathematician and scientist. Mr. Shaw's father was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, on the 25th of November, 1822,
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and his grandfather, John Shaw, was also a native of that state. Several years afterward the latter brought his family to what is now Morrow county, locating on a farm three miles south of the present Marengo, where he resided until his death. Besides James, the eldest in the family of children, there were Joseph, Henry, Mary .J., Rebecca, Lavinia and Elizabeth, all of whom were reared in Bennington township. Lavinia is the widow of David Jenkins and resides in Sparta, Ohio, while Elizabeth is the widow of James Kile, of Centerburg, that state.
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