USA > Ohio > Noble County > History of Noble County, Ohio: With Portraits and Biographical Sketches of some of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 36
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the society would build one in C'ald- well. The offer was accepted ; money was raised at once, and the church was built and dedicated during that year. Rev. I. C. Pershing, of the Pittsburgh conference, officiated at : the dedication. At this time the prominent members of the church were John Still, Robert McKee, Dr. Jesse M. Stone, David Jennings, J. W. Tipton, Benjamin Headley, Har- rison Keller and wife, Henry Keller and wife, and others. The society originally belonged to Sharon circuit, but in 1872 the circuit was divided and the Caldwell circuit formed. At present the charge consists of C'ald- well and Sharon. Among the early preachers on this circuit were Mor- school scholars, one hundred and decai Bishop, James Henderson, ! twenty-five.
Thomas Winstanley, William Tipton, A few facts in reference to the John Hollister, - Gamble, D. W. liquidation of the church debt will be of interest and serve to correct church, it is true, was in debt when
Stevens, W. HI. Morton, Joseph White and F. W. Verticon. The ' some very erroneous reports. The pastors at Caldwell have been Revs. D. C. Knowles, M. C. Grimes, E. P. ; dedicated, but by the strenuous efforts
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of Rev. L. C. Rutter and others the amount was reduced to $500; this sum rested upon the church for three or four years with only the interest being paid; two years of unpaid in- ; terest made the debt $600. At this point four of the church trustees David Devolld, James Cain, Alex- ander Boggs, and William Miller) assumed the debt. By donations from the church members and friends of the church this sum was reduced probably one-third ; finally, in 1882, the trustees paid off the remainder and announced the same to the con- gregation. They deserved and re- ceived the hearty thanks of the church. The church is now in a flourishing condition. John McKee, one of the first settlers of this com- munity, was a member of this church ; also his wife.
Baptist .- The Caldwell Baptist Church was organized by Rev. G. W. Churchill in 1861. The original members were : Levi Davis and wife, William Rammage and wife, John Winders and wife, Mrs. Blake, War- ren Lippitt, and Mrs. Lewis Smoot. Warren Lippitt, was the first deacon. The church edifice was built in 1861, at a cost of about $1,200. The pas- tors have been : Revs. G. W. Church- ill, Milton Squibb, Charles Gunter. and A. K. McCall. The latter is now pastor. The membership is about forty.
SOCIETIES.
Odd Fellows .- Olive Lodge, No. 259, I. O. O. F., was instituted at Olive, December 4, 1854, by W. F. Curtis, D. D. G. M. The lodge was removed to Caldwell in 1861. The 20
charter members were James Dud- ley, J. C. Schofield, W. F. McIntire, T. W. Morris, W. F. Reed and Miles Ogle. Two of these are still living -T. W. Morris and Miles Ogle. John C. Headley was the first mem- ber initiated. The first officers were Joseph C. Schofield, N. G .; James Dudley, V. G .; Wilson T. McIntire, secretary ; Thomas W. Morris, treas- urer; William C. Glines, C .; Daniel I. Chapman, W .; David McGarry, O. G .; J. C. Headley, R. S. N. G .; Thomas L. Hammer, L. S. N. G .; Wesley Thorla, R. S. V. G .; John Graham, L. S. V. G. Whole num- ber of members initiated since the organization, 215; present member- ship, 36; general fund invested, $3,000. The present officers are C. Shafer, N. G .; John Messelrode, V. G .; C. Foster, recording and perma- nent secretary ; C. J. Jenne, treas- urer.
Masonic .- Noble Lodge, No. 459, F. and A. M., was instituted under a dispensation issued November 18, 1871, and chartered October 17, 1872. The charter members were William II. Frazier, James S. Fore- man, David S. Spriggs, William C. O'Key, C. Foster, David Gookins, S. B. Pugh, C. J. Jenne, Robert Mc- Kee, R. L. Allbritain, W. W. Taylor, (. Shafer, Jasper McKee and John Graham. The first officers were W. II. Frazier, W. M .; J. S. Foreman, S. W .; David S. Spriggs, J. W .; W. C. Okey, S. D .; C. Foster, J. D .; Charles J. Jenne, treasurer; R. L. Allbritain, secretary; C. Shafer, tyler. The lodge is conveniently located in the Shafer building, and is
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in good condition. The present membership is sixty. Present offi- cers : C. J. Jenne, W. M .; J. B. Mc- Garry, S. W .; Otto Thalheimer, J. W .; Abraham Young, S. D .; D. M. McFerren, J. D .; C. Foster, secre- tary; W. D. Guilbert, treasurer; D). Wiley, tyler.
Grand Army .- Noble Post, No. 491, Grand Army of the Republic, was mustered September 18, 1884, with forty-eight charter members, viz .: C. P. Simons. N. B. Wharton, John Harris, Ezra Tuttle, Richard Bond, W. A. Morris, II. E. Peters, Luther Wheeler, B. F. Lamley, Ben- jamin Dyer, C. F. Delong, W. C. Maring, A. E. Brown, F. C. Thomp- son, J. R. Youngblue, A. W. Racey, Arch Wiley, W. S. Gibson, N. Cun- ningham, S. Mills, John Eicher, C. S. Sargeant, W. L. Evans, Leonard Craig, R. C. Downey, G. W. Rice, J. K. Marlow, J. W. Webber, H. M. Roach, B. B. Waller, J. M. Dalzell, A. C. McKee, Alden Wheeler, N. K. Moore, G. A. Way, A. W. Crawford, Peter Rucker, Charles Likes, J. N. Young- blue, W. II. Cooley, David Wheeler, G. W. Hupp, D. Wiley, D. M. Dates, John Gary, B. F. Smith, J. I. Shafer, Samuel Wheeler.
The Post chose the following for its first officers: F. C. Thompson, P. C .; D. A. Wheeler, S. V. C .; A. C. McKee, J. V. C .; II. E. Peters, Q. M .; G. A. Way, surgeon; J. N. Young- blue, chaplain ; C. S. Sargeant, O. D .; Arch. Wiley, O. G .; Peter Rucker, Q. M. S .; J. W. Smith, S. M .; A. C. Cooper, A. W. Racey, C. T. Blake, trustees ; J. M. Dalzell, historian. The present officers are the same,
with the following exceptions : Peter Yoho is the present surgeon ; J. W. Smith, adjutant. The present mem- bership is 114. There have been two deaths (comrades Waller and Bates), and three transfers. The Post has distributed for the relief of poor comrades $131.91. The Post owns five shares of stock in the Caldwell Building and Loan Association.
Sons of Veterans. - James. A. Trimmer Camp, No. 53, Sons of Vet- erans, was mustered at Caldwell, July 29, 1885, with the following first officers and charter members : C. II. Archer, captain ; W .- B. Wal- ler, first lieutenant; U. A. Mills, second lieutenant ; C. V. Rice, or- derly sergeant; Stephen Mills, Jr .. quartermaster sergeant; N. T. Morris, L. F. Smith, Joseph Powell, J. A. Wharton, A. W. Fogle, J. C. Clark, D. N. Walters, C. J. Kirk, F. I .. Wiley, C. C. Crouse, O. T. Shafer and U. M. Mareing. The officers in the fall of 1886 were : J. G. Scho- field, C .; Charles Smith, first lieuten- ant ; A. W. Fogle, second lieutenant ; C. V. Rice, O. S .; S. Mills, Jr., Q. M. S. CALDWELL DISTRICT FAIR.
Prior to 1884 the fairs held at Cald- well had been individual enterprises on a small scale. In May, 1883, a number of prominent citizens, among whom were Messrs. Fult. Caldwell, David Miller, J. L. Pugh, John W. Tipton, I. M. Combs, Chris. McKee. W. W. Collins and others, organized the Caldwell District Fair Associa- tion, which was incorporated in July of the same year. The following directors were elected : I. M. Combs, Fult. Caldwell, John W. Tipton,
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Junior, David Miller, W. W. Collins, Chris. McKee and William Long. David Miller was elected president, I. M. Combs, vice president, E. II. Archer, secretary, and G. A. Smith, treasurer. No change in officers has been made, except that C. Foster and W. D. Guilbert have succeeded Messrs. Archer and Smith as secre- tary and treasurer respectively.
The original capital stock was about $6,000, which has since been increased to $10,000. Three fairs have been held, all of which have exceeded the most sanguine expectations of the association. The | Republican party since its organiza- ; tion. In 1858 he was married to Margaret E. Sproat, a native of Guernsey County. Their children are Angeline, Cora M. and Oliver M. Mr. Knouff is a member of the Odd Fellows' order.
first was held September 23, 24 and 25,1884. Grounds were purchased in July, 1883. They are situated a 1 short distance west of Caldwell. There is a fine grove, commodious buildings and a half-mile track that cannot be excelled in this part of the State. The exhibitions have been first-class, many exhibitors coming from surrounding counties. The attendance has been large and the receipts were highly satisfactory. At the last fair nearly $4,000 in gate receipts were taken in three days, despite unfavorable weather. Through the earnest efforts of the managers the fair has become one of the most prosperous associations of its kind in southeastern Ohio.
Jonathan F. Knouff was born in Belmont County, Ohio, August 28, 1829. When ten years old he moved to what is now Noble County, his father, Henry Knouff (a native of Maryland), settling in Beaver Town- ship, where he followed farming until his death. The subject of this notice | was nominated against his wishes,
received a common-school education, and when a young man engaged in teaching, which occupation he fol- lowed for twenty-two years. He was elected county auditor, and by re-elections served three terms. In 1878 he engaged in the hardware business in Caldwell, in which he continued until April, 1882, when he sold out to Kane Brothers & Wright. In February, 1883, he purchased the hardware store of Taylor Brothers, and carried on that business until February, 1886. Originally a free- soiler in politics, he has acted with the
A. P. Jennings, the senior propri- etor of the Caldwell Press, was born in what is now Center Township, Noble County, February 17th, 1834, and when only two years of age re- moved with his parents to a farm about one and one-half miles north of the site of the present county seat. He received a common-school and academic education, and early de- voted his attention to teaching, and to mercantile pursuits. In 1854, he was married to Sarah A. Archer, with whom he lived happily until her untimely death in 1867. In 1868, he was married to Mary A. Hellyer, who died in 1887. In 1861 he was a candidate for County Treasurer, and subsequently for State Senator on the Democratic ticket. Each time he
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and the party majority against him was too large to be overcome. In 1875 he was elected probate judge, being the only Democrat elected in the county in that campaign. He was not a candidate for renomination or re-election. He has three children living - David Alonzo, Bertha May, and C'ora. Two - Mary Viola, and Rosetta A. -- died after they had reached the years of womanhood. Mr. Jennings is at present not act- ively engaged in business.
Judge Jonathan Dilley is an old and well-known citizen. He was born on the Potomac River in Vir- ginia, about thirty miles from Wash- ington, in the year 1809. ITis early life was spent in Shenandoah County. Va. In 1839 he came to Ohio, and in 1841 to Cumberland, Guern- sey County, where he clerked in the store of John E. Boyd. In 1843 he removed to Sarahsville and engaged in the mercantile business, at the same time dealing in tobacco. He continued a resident of Sarahsville for twenty-seven years. In 1869 he was elected probate judge, and in the following year he removed to Caldwell, and entered upon the duties of his office. In 1872 he was re-elected to the same office. IIe has since served two terms as deputy probate judge. Ile married Mar- garet Nicholson, and is the father of five children. Judge Dilly is a Re- publican, and a member of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church.
JOHN W. TIPTON, the oldest mer- chant in Caldwell, and for many years one of the most prominent citi- zens of the county, is a native of
IIarrison County, Ohio. Ile was born December 28, 1825. His father was Rev. William Tipton, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The family consisted of two sons and four daughters. The other son, Thomas W., studied law, and was admitted to the bar. After practicing his profession for a time in his native State he went to Nebraska before the war, and from there went into the army as a chaplain. On the forma- tion of the State government he was elected one of the first United States Senators from Nebraska, and served with honor in that position for eight years.
John W. Tipton received a com- mon-school education, and at the age of fifteen began earning his own liv- ing as a clerk in the store of Joseph Ilare, at Fairview, Guernsey County. Here he remained about five years, acquiring in the meantime a thorough knowledge of the mercantile business and forming those habits in life which have since made him successful as a business man.
In 1834, prior to the founding of Caldwell, Mr. Tipton came to Noble County, and located at Olive, becom- ing the partner of John Wehr, in the mercantile business. This relation continued until 1858, when having been nominated and elected county auditor Mr. Tipton left the store to assume the duties of that position. Subsequently he was twice elected to the same office. He was an able, efficient and popular officer. After the close of his third term as auditor he formed a partnership with William W. Glidden, and kept a general store
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where the Exchange Hotel now is. Mr. Glidden retired after two years, and Mr. Tipton has since carried on business alone. In 1870 he built his present store, and removed his stock of goods to it. He has one of the best stores in the county, and does an extensive business. Two of his sons, J. W. and Charles F., assist him in the business.
During the war Mr. Tipton warmly espoused the Union cause, and served as a member of the military commit- tee of the county. Ile takes a deep interest in the affairs of his town and county, and is an honored and useful citizen. He is one of the leading members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Tipton was married, in 1848, to Miss Elizabeth J. Richards, of Guernsey County. His children are William E., John W., Charles F., Frank M., Edgar R., Mary and Lizzie.
David Miller, one of the most prominent and enterprising business men of Caldwell, was born in Beaver Township, in 1845. His grandfather, William Miller, was one of the early settlers of this township, to which he came with his family, which consisted of his wife and one child, William, Jr., in the spring of 1833. The elder William was of English birth, and came to this country in 1816. He first settled in Maryland, from whence he removed to this county. William, Jr., father of David, was a man of prominence; he took an active part in the organization of the county, and was quite prominently identified with local politics. He married Miss Sarah, daughter of John Perry, whose date of settlement in Beaver dates
back to 1826. He reared a family of six children, Henry, David, Ann E., Oscar, Edgar and Ellen, all of whom are living. David was reared on the farm; he obtained a good English education, and commenced life as a school teacher. He studied survey- ing, and for two terms occupied the office of county surveyor. In 1880 he was elected sheriff. He filled the office acceptably to the people, and was re-elected, serving two terms. About this time he became quite ex- tensively engaged in real estate and building. Ilis operations were ex- tensive, and it is said that during this time he did much to advance the interests of the village. Ile was prominent in the organization of the Caldwell District Fair Company. In fact, he was in some way connected with almost every enterprise having for its object the advancement of the village interests. Ile married, in 1866, Miss Mary E. Roach, of Beaver, to whom have been born three child- ren -Clara, Berta and Walter.
George A. Smith, who for many years was one of the prominent busi- ness men and financiers of Caldwell, was born in Olive Township in 1835. IIis father, Shobul Smith, came from Martha's Vineyard in 1817, and was one of the pioneers of the county. George A. was for a number of years a merchant in Dexter City. In 1873 he was elected county treasurer, and the year following came to Caldwell. In 1878 he became the cashier of the Noble County National Bank, which position he retained until ill-health obliged him to retire.
Chrysostom Foster, the present
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mayor of Caldwell, is among the old- ' manufacture of staves until his elec- est residents of the town, having tion to the office of county auditor in 1881. He was re-elected in 1884, and is still discharging the duties of his office. Mr. Guilbert is a Repub- lican, and takes an active interest in political matters. come here in 1862. Ile was born in Washington, Pa , Jan. 2, 1840. When five years old his parents came to Wheeling and in 1853 to Belmont County, Ohio. In 1859 the family removed to Batesville. The elder Foster was a shoemaker; he died at Quaker City in 1858, leaving five children : Charlotte, Ilannah, Chry- sostom, Mary M., and D). A. The lat- ter went into the service in 1861, in the Thirtieth Ohio Volunteer Infan- try, and served through the war. Hle died in 1874 from disease caused by a wound received from the burst- ing of a torpedo at Fort Mc Allister in 1864.
After coming to Caldwell, Mr. Foster was for a time the clerk in the office of the county treasurer; in 1865 he was elected county treasurer and by re-election held the office until 1870. Since that time he has been in the mercantile and livery business in Caldwell. IIe is a prom- inent Republican. In 1861. he mar- ried Cynthia J., daughter of Abra- ham Simmons, at that time one of the leading citizens of Noble County. Five children have been born of this union, three boys and two girls.
Timothy Cleveland was born in Maine and settled in Beaver Town- ship in 1819. He married Miss Sarah W. Pierce, who was a native of the same State. They had a family of seven children, three of whom, Mary T. (Gale), Frank G., and Thaddeus S., are living. The latter was born in Somerset County, Me., August 31, 1818. He has been twice mar- ried. His first wife was a Pennsyl- vania lady; his second wife was Miss Mary, daughter of William Dement, a Virginian, who was one of the pioneers of Wills Creek, Monroe County, where he settled in 1806. Ile was prominent in the early affairs of that region, and carried the first mails from Wheeling, West Va., to Cincinnati, Ohio, in a canoe. He was possessed of a good education, and for years was a prominent mag- istrate and an influential citizen. By the last marriage there were three children : Wellington, Benjamin and Henry J. The latter was born in Calais, Ohio, in 1853. He came to Noble County in 1880, settling in Elk. In 1885 he was elected sheriff, which position he now (1887) holds. He married Miss Emma A., daughter of Thomas Foster, of Summerfield.
W. D. Guilbert, the present county auditor, was born in Guernsey Coun- ty in 1844. Ilis father, H. E. Guil- bert, was a farmer and removed to the western part of the State about 1846. The subject of this notice re Benjamin B. Waller was born in Guernsey County in 1823, and came to Noble County in 1858. Ile was ceived an academic education, and in 1869 came to South Olive, where he was engaged in salt making and the | a carpenter by trade, but after
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his removal to Noble he became indentified with political matters, and held several official positions. For many years he was postmaster of the village, receiving his first appoint- ment in 1863; reappointed in 1870, and held the office until September, 1885. From 1872 to 1878 he was deputy sheriff. In 1863 he was com- missioned county recorder; was re- elected and commissioned in 1866. In August of 1861 he enlisted in Company K, Thirtieth Ohio Volun- teers; was wounded at the battle of South Mountain, and discharged for disability February 5, 1863. His death occurred March 22, 1886. Mr. Waller was married in 1847 to Miss Margaret Stuart, who was born in Belmont County, Ohio. He was a valuable citizen and an exemplary member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Olive Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Noble Post, Grand Army of the Republic.
W. H. Bush was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1848. In the spring of 1853 the family came to Noble County and settled in Renrock, where the elder Bush built a woolen mill, which he operated until 1865, when he removed to McConnelsville. In 1875 W. H. assumed control of the McConnell mill at McConnelsville, which he operated very successfully until 1880, when he purchased. the Island mill at Beverly, Ohio. In 1886, to obtain increased facilities and better power, he removed to Cald- well, and in company with P. M. McVay, established the Caldwell : and a niece of Robert Fulton, the woolen mills. Mr. Bush is the pio- neer woolen manufacturer in this sec-
tion, and having been reared to the business, no one is more conversant with its details than he. He married Miss Ella Carroll in 1873. They have two children, Lester and Media.
BIOGRAPHIC.
THE CALDWELL FAMILY.
The name of Caldwell has been conspicuous in the annals of Duck Creek Valley from the earliest history of that region, to the present day. The progenitor of the Noble County Caldwells was Robert Caldwell, a native of Chester County, Pa. He was a man of much natural abil- ity and of great force of charac- ter, these traits being inherited from his Scotch-Irish ancestors. He served as a teamster in the Revolu- tionary War, married and settled in Pennsylvania, and in 1795 emigrated to the Northwest Territory, settling in Washington County, Ohio, where were then the chief settlements in the territory. He explored this sec- tion of the county, and by the advice of General Putnam, made a selection of the land on which he afterward located. In the year 1808 he came up the west fork of Duck Creek with his sons and began an improvement on the present Caldwell farm. He was, therefore, among the earliest pioneers of the valley, and the first to make a clearing where the town of Caldwell now stands. Robert Caldwell died in 1831. His wife's maiden name was Jane Fulton, who was also a native of Pennsylvania, pioneer steam navigator. Their children (several of whom were born
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. in Pennsylvania), were Robert; John, Joseph, Samuel, Hiram, Jane, Polly, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Matilda and Nancy. The sons are all dead except Joseph. They were all prominent farmers, and resided in Noble County. Of the daughters, Jane married Rod- ney Severance, and died in Morgan County. Polly married James Logan, remained in Pennsylvania, and died there. Elizabeth, the widow of David Archibald, is still living in Noble County. Rebecca (deceased) was the wife of John Noble. Matilda, the wife of John Brownrigg, is still living in Noble County. Nancy became the wife of Samuel Price, and died in Morgan County.
Joseph Caldwell, the oldest living resident of the county, was born in Caywood, Washington County, Ohio, in the year 1798, and came to what is now Noble County in 1809. He has witnessed the transition of a wil- derness to one of the fertile and pro- ductive regions of this section of the State, and in his person typifies many of the causes which have produced this great change. Beneath his observation. like a grand panorama, the forests have disappeared and fer- tile fields have taken their place. Villages and hamlets have sprung up as if by magic. The iron horse rushes over the same route that he traveled when a boy by blazed trees through an almost impenetrable for- est. To-day he lives in the full pos- session of his mental faculties, one of the last survivors of a race the like of which will never be seen again.
Ilis youth and early manhood were passed upon his father's farm, where he shared the privations of a pioneer family. At the age of twenty-six he married Miss Margaret, daughter of David Mckee, whose personal his- tory will be found in the chapter devoted to Noble Township. Shortly after their marriage the young cou- ple commenced life upon the farm where he now resides, which is a part of the tract entered by his father in 1808, and which at the time was unimproved with the ex- ception of a small field where is now the Caldwell school-building. Like his brother Samuel, he identified himself with nearly all the initial events in the history of this section of the county. He was one of the pioneer salt-makers of the Duck Creek Valley, and was one of the parties who sank the second well bored in the valley; in this well petroleum was discovered, and it can be said to have been the first oil well in the United States. The life of Joseph Caldwell has been compara- tively uneventful. His experiences have not been unlike those of most of the pioneer farmers of his time. With him the desideratum has been the welfare of his family and the ac- quisition of that priceless legacy. an unsullied reputation - and the full fruition of his desires has been attained. ITis aged helpmeet was born near Stanlyville, Washington County, Ohio, in the year 1800. She has been to him a wife in all that term implies, and the mother of four children: Rhoda A. (Coffy), Milton, Ruth (Okey) and Joseph.
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